Delhi HC dismisses Facebook, WhatsApp pleas against CCI probe

The Delhi High Court said that it saw no merit in the petitions of Facebook and WhatsApp to stop the investigation directed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

New Delhi:The Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed pleas by social media platforms Facebook and WhatsApp, challenging India's competition regulator CCI's order directing a probe into WhatsApp's new privacy policy.

Justice Navin Chawla said that though it would have been "prudent" for the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to await the outcome of petitions in the Supreme Court and the Delhi HC against WhatsApp's new privacy policy, but not doing so would not make the regulator's order "perverse" or "wanting of jurisdiction".

The court said it saw no merit in the petitions of Facebook and WhatsApp to interdict the investigation directed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

In March, the CCI on its own decided to look into WhatsApp's new privacy policy on the basis of news reports regarding the same.

(PTI)