Amazon files new legal dispute against Future Group

Reuters has reported Amazon Inc. has filed a new legal challenge in its continued dispute with Indian retailer Future Group. The national antitrust agency recently suspended a 2019 deal between the two companies, halting their arbitration.

Last month, the Competition Commission of India suspended Amazon’s 2019 deal with Future, preventing Amazon from selling Future’s retail assets to Reliance Industries. On Saturday, Amazon filed an appeal against the CCI suspension decision at India’s National Company Law Appellate Tribunal.

Amazon has also filed a challenge in the Supreme Court against the Delhi court decision where judges said Future-Amazon arbitration proceedings are on pause until February 1 because of the antitrust suspension deal. Reliance wants to attempt to buy Future, a debt-straddled company, to further help its position in India’s retail market. Amazon has fought this telling India’s anti-trust authorities that this would restrict competition in India’s retail market. They have also argued the sale would violate the terms of its 2019 deal with Future. The CCI suspended that deal saying Amazon suppressed information while looking for clearances for the deal, therefore leaving Amazon with no legal legs to stand on. The case will likely be heard before court this week.

Neither Amazon nor Future were immediately available for comment at the time of this article.