3 months ago
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The Supreme Court connected Tuesday (January 27, 2026) refused to entertain a plea filed by Reliance Industries–owned streaming level JioStar seeking to halt a probe by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) into allegations of maltreatment of its ascendant presumption successful the Kerala cablegram tv market.
A seat of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Sandeep Mehta said the substance is astatine a preliminary signifier and the marketplace regulator whitethorn beryllium allowed to proceed with its probe.
"Sorry. Let the regulator investigate. It is lone astatine a preliminary stage. Dismissed," the Bench told elder advocator Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for JioStar.
Mr. Rohagti submitted that Jiostar is bound nether the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Act, 1997, which fixes however overmuch it tin complaint oregon springiness a discount.
"The question is, tin you analyse successful narration to a substance covered by the sectoral regulator. There is simply a judgement of the Bombay High Court successful my favour," Mr. Rohatgi contended.
Justice Pardiwala told Mr. Rohatgi that the contented needs to beryllium looked into.
The complainant, Asianet Digital Network Limited (ADNPL), has accused Jiostar of abusing its dominance successful the tv broadcasting abstraction successful Kerala successful contravention of the Competition Act, 2002, by providing discriminatory discounting payments and preferential attraction to the Kerala Communicators Cable Limited (KCCL).
JioStar has challenged a Kerala High Court bid dated December 3, 2025, which affirmed a azygous Judge's bid refusing to enactment the probe by the CCI into the allegations of violations of the Competition Act, 2002.
The CCI has directed the manager wide to initiate an probe into the complaints filed by ADNPL, a integer TV work provider, against JioStar and its subsidiaries for alleged discriminatory pricing and excessive discounting to KCCL.
It was alleged successful the ailment that owed to the preferential attraction of KCCL, ADNPL suffered migration of its subscriber base, which fell steeply wrong a abbreviated span of five-six months.
Under TRAI rules, broadcasters tin connection discounts of up to 35% and indispensable travel a non-discriminatory pricing regime.
Asianet has claimed that JioStar efficaciously granted discounts of much than 50% to KCCL done abstracted selling oregon promotional agreements, which it termed sham arrangements.
