Overview

• The 276-page petition filed on October 8 seeks to halt the investigation and to quash summonses issued to Chairman Sam Balsara and Executive Director Vikram Sakhuja.
• Madison alleges its executives were questioned in the middle of the night in the presence of armed personnel without the chance to consult lawyers.
• The agency says the CCI has not disclosed what materials were seized during March raids, while an August letter from the regulator says inspection is barred during ongoing investigations.
• The probe followed a Dentsu leniency disclosure and was preceded by March raids on major agencies and broadcasters, with preliminary papers reviewed by Reuters pointing to possible WhatsApp-based pricing pacts.
• Publicis has separately asked the court for access to portions of the case file, and the court is set to hear both matters as the CCI, which can levy heavy fines, has not commented publicly.