Competition Commission of India fines 10 cos for rigging coal transportation tender

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The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has slapped a collective Rs 12 crore penalty on 10 firms for rigging bids for coal transportation tenders floated by Coal India’s subsidiary Western Coalfields Limited.

The regulator carried out a detailed investigation after a complaint by Western Coalfields and found these companies to be involved in bid rigging for the tender process.

The coal company had moved CCI after it received matching bids at higher rates for four tenders floated for coal and sand transportation.

The competition watchdog concluded that these companies indulged in price rigging in the tender process and imposed a fine on eight officials and ordered them to desist from anti-competitive practices.

Companies that submitted identical tenders were SSV Coal Carriers, Bimal Kumar Khandelwal, Pravin Transport, Khandelwal Transport, Khandelwal Earth Movers, Khanduja Coal Transport Co, Punya Coal Road Lines, B Himmatlal Agrawal, Punjab Transport Co and Avaneesh Logistics.

The Commission observed that such conduct in public procurement, besides defeating the tendering process, has an adverse impact on the process of competition.

(With inputs from PTI)