Samsung challenges India watchdog over data seizure

Samsung has filed a legal challenge against India‘s Competition Commission (CCI), accusing the watchdog of unlawfully detaining employees and seizing data during a 2022 raid connected to an antitrust investigation involving Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart. The CCI claims Samsung colluded with the e-commerce giants to launch products exclusively online, a practice it argues violates competition laws.

In its filing with the northern city of Chandigarh’s High Court, Samsung alleged that confidential data was improperly taken from its employees during the raid and requested the return of the material. Samsung has secured an injunction to pause the CCI’s proceedings but seeks a broader ruling to prevent the use of the seized data. The CCI, in turn, has asked the Supreme Court to consolidate similar challenges by Samsung and 22 other parties, arguing that companies are attempting to derail the investigation.

The case stems from findings earlier this year that Amazon, Flipkart, and smartphone companies like Samsung engaged in anti-competitive practices by favouring select sellers and using exclusive product launches. While Amazon and Flipkart deny wrongdoing, brick-and-mortar retailers have long criticised their pricing and market strategies. Samsung, a major smartphone brand in India with a 14% market share, maintains it was wrongly implicated and cooperated only as a third party in the investigation.