CCI suspends approval for Amazon-Future Coupons deal

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Friday suspended its approval for Amazon's deal with Future Coupons and also imposed a penalty totalling Rs 202 crore on the e-commerce major for certain contraventions.

The approval was given by the regulator back in November 2019 for Amazon's deal to buy 49 per cent stake in Future Coupons.

In a 57-page order, the regulator said that approval "shall remain in abeyance".

According to the regulator, certain contraventions by Amazon arise from a "deliberate design on the part of Amazon to suppress the actual scope and purpose of the combination and the Commission finds no mitigating factor".

Amid a bitter legal battle with Amazon, Future Group had complained to the CCI following which the regulator issued a show-cause notice to the e-commerce major in July 2021.