CCI Warns Staff Against Unauthorised Media Interactions, Information Leaks

CCI advisory references a 60-year-old government rule prohibiting such disclosures and underscores the importance of confidentiality in ongoing investigations

India's Competition Commission (CCI) has issued a strict warning to its staff, cautioning against unauthorised sharing of sensitive information with the media, according to an internal memo seen by news agency Reuters. The advisory references a 60-year-old government rule prohibiting such disclosures and underscores the importance of confidentiality in ongoing investigations.

The memo, dated August 20, was distributed to all staff members after recent media reports revealed details of cases under review by the commission. "It has been observed that of late certain information related to the cases (under review) are published/available in the media ... this has been viewed very seriously," the CCI stated in the notice.

Despite inquiries from Reuters, CCI Chairperson Ravneet Kaur did not comment on the matter. Kaur, who assumed leadership of the commission in May 2023, has been overseeing investigations into major corporations, including Amazon, Walmart's Flipkart, Reliance, Walt Disney, and Pernod Ricard.

This internal clampdown comes as the CCI intensifies its scrutiny of significant business mergers and practices. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the CCI had preliminarily concluded that the $8.5 billion merger between Reliance and Disney's Indian media assets could pose risks to competition, especially due to their dominance in cricket broadcasting. The commission had sent a warning notice over these concerns.

In a separate case earlier this month, the CCI made the unusual move of recalling two reports alleging competition law violations by Apple, a decision that also attracted media attention.

The memo further highlighted that staff who violate these rules could face disciplinary actions, with the same regulations applying even after an individual has left the commission. The commission referred to a 1964 rule that prohibits any government employee from sharing official documents or sensitive information without proper authorization.

The CCI's renewed focus on internal discipline signals its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of its investigations amid increasing public and media interest.