MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Friday ordered some of India's biggest cement manufacturers to pay 6 billion rupees in fees while it hears their appeal against a penalty the competition watchdog imposed last year.
The amount, to be paid within four weeks, represents 10 percent of the 60 billion rupee record high fine the CCI ordered the companies, and India's Cement Manufacturing Association, to pay for alleged price fixing.
The companies include Aditya Birla Group-member UltraTech Cement
The Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) said it would dismiss the companies' appeal if they failed to pay the 6 billion rupees on time. Last year, COMPAT granted the companies a stay on paying the penalty while it hears their case.
A CCI spokesman said the anti-trust regulator does not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
Last year, the regulator said the companies had colluded to underuse their plant and create an artificial shortage of cement. Executives from the fined companies denied price fixing. (Reporting by Aditi Shah; Editing by Prateek Chatterjee and Miral Fahmy)
