Publicis sues CCI over access to case records in ad cartel probe

French advertising group Publicis has filed a lawsuit against India’s Competition Commission of India (CCI), alleging that it was denied access to key documents in an ongoing investigation into suspected cartel practices in the media and advertising sector.

According to court filings reviewed by Reuters, the company approached the Delhi High Court on 11 August seeking an order directing the CCI to allow it inspection of case records. Publicis said its Indian operations and employees were “unable to understand the allegations against them and prepare a defence” without access to the files.

The petition was filed through TLG India, which houses most of Publicis’ advertising business in the country. In July, Publicis asked the CCI to suspend further investigation until it could review the records. The regulator, however, continued its probe and earlier this month summoned Publicis’ South Asia management while seeking contracts, revenue-sharing agreements and other documents.

The Delhi High Court is expected to hear the matter next week.

The lawsuit follows a CCI investigation launched in March 2025, which included dawn raids on major advertising groups, among them Publicis, WPP’s GroupM, Dentsu, Omnicom, Havas, Madison and IPG. Industry bodies such as the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) and the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) were also searched.

The probe stems from a disclosure made by Dentsu in February 2024 under the CCI’s leniency programme, which offers reduced penalties for firms that provide evidence of misconduct.

Publicis is the first company to challenge the CCI’s handling of the case in court.