The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has also held 56 top executives, including JSW’s billionaire Managing Director Sajjan Jindal, Tata Steel CEO T.V. Narendran and four former SAIL chairpersons, liable for price collusion over varying periods of time between 2015 and 2023, according to a CCI order dated October 6, which has not been made public and is being reported for the first time.
JSW declined to comment, while Tata Steel, SAIL, and the executives did not respond to queries for comment. The CCI also did not respond to requests for comment.
The CCI investigation – the most high-profile case involving the steel industry – started in 2021 after a group of builders alleged in a criminal case brought to a state court that nine companies were collectively restricting the supply of steel and increasing prices. Reuters reported in 2022 that the watchdog raided some small steel companies as part of an investigation into the industry.
