Fair trade watchdog CCI has dismissed allegations of unfair business practices made against Mumbai-based Metropolis Health Care, saying "the facts of the case do not highlight any competition issue which requires the regulator's intervention".
It was alleged that Mumbai-based Metropolis Health Care abused its dominant position and used the informant (Sudheesh Goel) as a platform to enter the regional market of Chandigarh, and was misusing the latter's brand value and market reputation.
Sudheesh Goel was running a pathology lab in Chandigarh in the name of Dr Goel's S K Diagnostic Centre. In 2011, both sides entered into an agreement whereby Metropolis would take over the informant's existing business in Chandigarh.
Rejecting the allegations, the Commission said the present case squarely pertains to contractual dispute between the informant and Metropolis without any competition issue involved, therein.
"As such, the facts of the case do not highlight any competition issue which requires intervention," it noted.
According to CCI, the allegation regarding the inability of the informant and other regional players to compete with the opposite party because of their expanding business in Chandigarh seems to be misplaced.
"The Commission is of the view that the issue itself is anti-thesis to the spirit of competition as enshrined under the (Competition) Act. The Preamble and other provisions of the Act suggest that objective of the Act is to protect the process of competition, not the individual competitors," the order, dated November 17, said.
