Unable to move an inch, says anti-trust body on probe into WhatsApp
India Today
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Thursday said it has not been able to move an inch in its investigation into WhatsApp’s privacy policy of 2021.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that it was not able to move an inch in its investigation into WhatsApp’s privacy policy of 2021. It said the investigation cannot go forward because of a court order granting time to Facebook and WhatsApp for filing replies in connection with the probe.
CCI told a bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma that there was virtually a stay on the proceedings and the anti-trust regulator must be allowed to carry out its investigation and Facebook and WhatsApp must be asked to file their replies.
"The investigation is 16 months old. We are not able to move an inch. We must be allowed to investigate,” said the CCI lawyer.
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The court was hearing appeals of WhatsApp LLC and Facebook Inc challenging a single-judge order dismissing their pleas against the probe ordered by the CCI into the instant messaging platform's updated privacy policy.
Earlier this year, the court had extended the time for filing replies by Facebook and WhatsApp to two CCI notices of June 2021 asking them to furnish certain information for the purpose of inquiry conducted by it.
The bench said that the time extension order will remain in place while directing the parties to file their written submissions.
