The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty of over 135 crore rupees on Nair Coal Services, Karam Chand Thapar and Brothers and Naresh Kumar and Company for indulging in anti-competitive practices. It found them guilty of acting in a collusive and concerted manner which eliminated and lessened the competition. <br/><br/>The companies also manipulated the bidding process in respect of the tenders floated by Maharashtra State Power Generation for award of contract of coal liasoning work for its various thermal power stations. <br/><br/>The CCI imposed a penalty of 7.16 crore rupees on Nair Coal Services, 111.60 crore on Karam Chand Thapar and Brothers and 16.92 crore rupees on Naresh Kumar and Company. The CCI also issued a cease and desist order against these companies.<br/> <br/>Taking a serious view of the collusive conduct of coal liasoning agents, CCI opined that the case fell in the category of hard core cartels as the parties reached an agreement to submit collusive tenders and divide the markets. It invoked the stringent provision of the law to impose a higher penalty in case of agreements entered into by cartels.<br/><br/>CCI has also deprecated the conduct of the informant in breaching the confidentiality and sanctity of the inquiry by circulating copies of the investigation report.