https://www.exchange4media.com/advertising-news/tlg-india-contests-cci-antitrust-summons-says-publicis-groupe-not-a-legal-entity-146903.html
TLG India Pvt Ltd, the Indian arm of French advertising giant Publicis Groupe, has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court challenging the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices in the advertising industry. The core argument is that the CCI proceedings wrongly name “Publicis Groupe” as the entity under investigation, whereas Publicis Groupe is a brand name and trademark, not a registered legal entity or enterprise under the Competition Act. TLG India argues it is the proper legal entity to be named.
The petition accuses the CCI of arbitrary action, failure to provide access to critical case records despite formal requests, and procedural unfairness that hinders TLG India’s ability to mount a defense. Notably, the investigation followed dawn raids on major advertising companies amid suspicions of price-fixing and collusion regarding publicity rates and discounts. TLG India contends that the CCI failed to identify the appropriate entity and violated principles of natural justice by denying inspection of case files. The company seeks the quashing of summons issued to “Publicis Groupe South Asia,” which they claim does not even exist as a registered entity, and substitution of TLG India as the proper party.
The case highlights significant legal and procedural issues around how investigations are conducted under Indian competition law, especially when multinational groups operate through various legal entities and brand names. Publicis’ legal challenge also includes complaints that CCI’s denial of access to investigation files violates fundamental rights and due process. The Delhi High Court has issued notices to the CCI and scheduled further hearings in October 2025. The wider probe into price-fixing involves other major agencies including WPP’s GroupM, Dentsu, Omnicom, and industry bodies.