Apple has approached the Delhi High Court seeking to restrain India’s antitrust regulator, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), from demanding its global financial records as part of an ongoing investigation into the company’s App Store practices, Reuters reported.
The US tech giant is also asking the court to put the investigation on hold while it challenges the validity of India’s penalty rules, the Reuters report added.
As per the report, Apple is engaged in a high-stakes legal battle with the CCI, which has accused the company of abusing its dominant position in the iOS app ecosystem. Apple has denied the allegations and maintains that its App Store policies are fair and in line with global practices.
Concerns over potential penalties
In its filings, Apple has said it fears it could face penalties of up to $38 billion if the CCI applies a global turnover-based calculation while determining fines, according to Reuters. Under India’s competition law framework, penalties can be linked to a company’s global revenues, a provision that has raised concerns among multinational corporations.
According to Reuters, Apple has separately challenged India’s 2024 penalty rules in court, arguing that they are disproportionate and could lead to excessive fines. That case is still pending before the judiciary.
CCI presses ahead despite court challenge
Despite the pending legal challenge, the CCI issued a private order on December 31 seeking Apple’s financial information. In response, Apple filed a plea on January 15, asking the Delhi High Court to direct the regulator to refrain from taking any action against the company at this stage and to suspend the investigation until the legal questions around the penalty rules are settled, the Reuters report added.
According to Reuters, Apple has argued that being compelled to comply with the CCI’s request now would undermine its core legal challenge to the penalty framework. The company contends that once sensitive global financial data is shared, its appeal against the rules would become ineffective.
Regulator defends its stance
The CCI, for its part, has defended the penalty rules, stating that they are necessary to deter violations by large multinational companies operating in India. Neither Apple nor the CCI responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear Apple’s plea on January 27, as per Reuters.