CCI warns employees about unauthorized media interaction and information leaks

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has issued a stern warning to its employees, warning them against unauthorised disclosure of confidential information to the media, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. The warning refers to a 60-year-old government rule prohibiting such disclosures and underlines the importance of confidentiality in ongoing investigations.

The memo, dated August 20, was distributed to all employees after details of the cases being investigated by the commission were revealed in recent media reports. “It has been observed that certain information relating to the cases (under investigation) has been published or made available in the media recently… this has been taken very seriously,” the CCI said in the notice.

Despite queries from Reuters, CCI chair Ravneet Kaur did not comment on the matter. Kaur, who took over as head of the commission in May 2023, oversees investigations into major companies such as Amazon, Walmart's Flipkart, Reliance, Walt Disney and Pernod Ricard.

This internal crackdown comes as the CCI intensifies its scrutiny of major corporate mergers and practices. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the CCI had reached a preliminary conclusion that the $8.5 billion merger between Reliance and Disney's Indian media assets posed risks to competition, particularly because of their dominance in cricket broadcasting. The commission had issued an alert based on these concerns.

In another case, earlier this month, the CCI took the unusual step of withdrawing two reports on alleged violations of competition laws by Apple – a decision that also attracted media attention.

The memo also emphasized that employees who violate these rules will face disciplinary action. The same rules apply even if the person in question has already left the commission. The commission referred to a 1964 rule that prohibits government employees from sharing official documents or confidential information without proper authorization.

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

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