Flipkart, Amazon Appeals "Deserved To Be Dismissed", Says Karnataka High Court

The CCI investigation is the latest setback for the firms, which are also grappling with tougher foreign investment rules.

Karnataka High Court on Friday dismissed an appeal by Amazon.com Inc and Walmart's Flipkart that sought to stall an antitrust investigation into their business practices - a major setback for the companies. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) last year ordered a probe following allegations from brick-and-mortar retailers that the U.S. firms promote select sellers on their e-commerce platforms and use deep discounts to stifle competition. The investigation was on hold for several months after companies challenged it, denying wrongdoing and arguing that the CCI lacked evidence, but a court allowed it to continue in June. On Friday, the Karanataka High Court rejected the U.S. firms' appeals. "The appeals are nothing but an attempt to ensure that action initiated by the CCI ... does not attain finality," a two-judge bench said while reading the decision in court.