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Delhi HC Directs CCI to Respond Within Two Weeks in Publicis Groupe Case Over Ad Cartel Probe

The Delhi High Court has stepped into a high-stakes legal battle between French advertising giant Publicis Groupe India and the country’s antitrust watchdog, the Competition Commission of India (CCI). In a significant development, the court has directed the CCI to file its reply within two weeks regarding a petition filed by Publicis that challenges the regulator’s handling of an ongoing investigation into alleged cartelization within the advertising industry.

The case, which centers on alleged media cartelization and price fixing, was heard by Justice Sachin Datta. The court issued a formal notice to the CCI and has scheduled the next hearing for October 9, 2025. Furthermore, the court has specifically ordered the CCI to produce a copy of its prima facie opinion—the initial finding that led to the probe—in Suo Motu Case No. 2 of 2024 on the next hearing date.

Publicis, through its legal entity TLG India Private Limited, approached the High Court on August 11, arguing that the CCI’s refusal to grant access to case records is hindering its ability to mount a proper defense. The company contends that without the case files, its Indian operations and employees are “unable to understand the allegations against them and prepare a defence.”

This legal challenge is the first of its kind from an advertising firm and comes amidst a sweeping CCI probe launched in March 2025. The investigation followed dawn raids on the offices of major advertising groups including Publicis, WPP’s GroupM, Dentsu, Omnicom, Havas, Madison, and IPG, as well as industry bodies like the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA). The CCI’s probe was triggered by a disclosure made by Dentsu in February 2024 under the regulator’s leniency programme.

Publicis had previously urged the CCI to put the investigation “in abeyance” until it was allowed to review case documents, but the regulator proceeded with its probe, issuing summons to the company’s South Asia management. With the High Court’s directive, the CCI now faces a two-week deadline to formally respond to Publicis’ plea, setting the stage for a critical legal showdown that could redefine procedural fairness in India’s antitrust investigations.


Key Highlights:

  • The Delhi High Court has directed the CCI to file a reply within two weeks in a case where Publicis Groupe is challenging the regulator’s probe into alleged advertising cartelization.
  • Publicis is seeking access to case records and a copy of the CCI’s prima facie opinion (Suo Motu Case No. 2 of 2024) to prepare its defense.
  • The CCI’s investigation, which began in March 2025 with raids on major ad agencies, was triggered by a disclosure from Dentsu under a leniency program.
  • The next hearing for the case is scheduled for October 9, 2025.
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