New Delhi: Madison Communications has petitioned the Delhi High Court to quash an antitrust probe launched by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), alleging that its execu-tives were questioned unlawfully during March raids without legal counsel, according to court filings reviewed by Reuters.
The raids targeted several advertising agencies and broadcasters, including WPP’s GroupM, Dentsu, Publicis, and Omnicom, over alleged collusion on ad rates and discounts — the strictest action yet in India’s ad industry. Madison’s plea, filed on October 8, is the first to seek termination of the probe.
Chairman Sam Balsara and Executive Director Vikram Sakhuja claimed they were questioned “in the middle of the night, in the presence of armed personnel,” without access to lawyers. The company also said CCI failed to provide details of documents seized, violating transpar-ency and due process norms.
The watchdog’s investigation began after Dentsu sought leniency in February 2024, revealing alleged cartel-like practices among agencies. The CCI’s assessment found the firms coordi-nated ad pricing via a WhatsApp group. The court will hear Madison’s case on Thursday, alongside a related plea by Publicis seeking access to case files but not suspension of the probe.