Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has ruled out any cartelisation or bid rigging in the recent consolidation involving Air India Ltd, dismissing a complaint filed by former pilot Deepak Kumar.
The CCI’s decision was based on the rejection of Kumar’s claims, noting that it did not find any adverse impact on his career or service record due to the merger of Tata SIA Airlines Ltd (Vistara Airlines) and Air India Ltd.
It maybe recalled that CCI had in end August approved the merger of Tata SIA Airlines Ltd into Air India Ltd, and acquisition of certain additional shareholding by Singapore Airlines (SIA) in Air India subject to compliance of voluntary commitments offered by the parties.
In its ruling issued on Friday on the matter of Deepak Kumar’s complaint, the Commission highlighted that there was no substantial evidence presented by him to support his allegations of cartelisation or bid rigging. Instead, the CCI noted an internal dispute regarding Kumar’s service with Air India, which the commission considered beyond the purview of competition concerns.
