Madison Communications has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court seeking to halt the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) ongoing antitrust investigation into the advertising agency, according to news agency reports.
The petition, filed on 8 October, is the first legal challenge by an advertising agency aiming to stop the investigation, says Media reports. Madison has alleged procedural lapses during the regulator’s raids earlier this year, including questioning of senior leadership without legal representation and lack of access to seized documents.
In March, Madison was among several advertising agencies and broadcasters searched by the CCI as part of an investigation into alleged coordination over media rates and discounts.
The agency has raised concerns about the conduct of the investigation, including the manner in which search operations were carried out and the interrogation of its executives. According to Reuters, Madison stated in its petition that questioning also took place at night.
The agency has also contested the summons issued to its Chairman Sam Balsara and Executive Director Vikram Sakhuja, who are scheduled to appear next week for further questioning.
The investigation was initiated following information submitted under the CCI’s leniency programme in early 2024, reportedly by dentsu. Preliminary findings suggested that several advertising agencies may have coordinated pricing strategies through informal communication channels, including messaging platforms.
The Delhi High Court is expected to hear Madison’s plea today. The court may choose to admit the petition for detailed hearings, reject it, or consider temporarily pausing the investigation.
Publicis Groupe had previously approached the court in August seeking access to case files but did not challenge the investigation itself.
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