CCI Director General carries out search at JCB premises

Competition Commission's investigation arm has carried out search operations at two offices of construction equipment major JCB India with regard to a complaint of alleged unfair business practices.

The Director General (DG) is the investigation wing of the country's fair trade watchdog Competition Commission of India (CCI).

The DG carried out search operations at Faridabad and Delhi offices of JCB India last week and found certain documents that could be useful for investigation, sources said.

This is the first ever search operation carried out by CCI, sources added.

The investigation was carried based on the complaint of Bull Machines.

When contacted, JCB India spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied whether search operations were carried out at its premises by the DG.

"JCB India takes compliance with competition rules very seriously and will co-operate fully with the Competition Commission of India in connection with its investigation. The company is fully confident that the Commission will reject the baseless allegations upon completion of its investigation," the company said in a statement.

In March, CCI had ordered investigation after a complaint by Bull Machines against JCB India for alleged abuse of its dominant position to keep away competitors from the market.

The regulator had ordered a detailed probe into the matter after finding prima-facie evidence that JCB India and its subsidiary, JC Bamford Excavators, had abused their dominant position in market for construction equipment.

Bull Machines, also a construction equipment maker, had alleged that JCB India had abused the judicial system to restrain it and its dealers from dealing in "backhoe loaders", a machine used in construction activities.