CCI slaps Rs 936.44 crore penalty on Google for unfair biz ways

New Delhi: The Competition Commission on Tuesday slapped a penalty of Rs 936.44 crore on Google.

The penalty is for abusing its dominant position with respect to Play Store policies and directed the company to cease and desist from unfair business practices.

In a release, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said it has also directed to modify its conduct within a defined timeline.

This is the second major CCI ruling against Google in less than a week.

On October 20, the watchdog imposed a penalty of Rs 1,337.76 crore on the company for abusing its dominant position in multiple markets in relation to Android mobile devices and ordered the internet major to cease and desist from various unfair business practices. 

CCI also restricted Google from certain revenue sharing agreements with smartphone makers, noting that such practices helped Google to secure exclusivity for its search services "to the total exclusion of competitors."

Google declined to comment on the order.

Markets should be allowed to compete on merits and the onus is on the dominant players (in the present case, Google) that its conduct does not impinge this competition on merits," CCI said in a statement.