Competition watchdog probing allegations against Maruti, say reports

India's antitrust regulator is looking into allegations that Maruti Suzuki, the country's biggest car maker, resorted to anti-competitive practices by controlling how its dealers discounted cars, three people aware of the matter said.

Maruti, majority-owned by Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp , is a household name in India where it commands a 51 per cent market share. It sold 1.73 million passenger vehicles in the year to March and has nearly 3,000 dealers in the country.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is looking into allegations that Maruti forces its dealers to limit the discounts they offer, effectively stifling competition among them and harming consumers who could have benefited from lower prices if dealers operated freely, the people told Reuters.