Nikhil specialises in white-collar criminal defence and trials, and has deep experience conducting internal investigations, defending companies and individuals in criminal and regulatory proceedings, and counselling clients on compliance programs and issues. An accomplished trial lawyer, with over twelve years of experience he has served as investigative and defense counsel in numerous high-profile criminal and administrative matters across India. Nikhil’s experience as a trial lawyer coupled with his knowledge as an antitrust advisor, helps him devise effective strategies to prepare for ‘dawn raids’, conduct cross-examinations and devise effective cartel defence strategies in competition proceedings before the Competition Commission and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of India.

Prior to his position as Of Counsel to Axiom5, Nikhil has had a distinguished and multifaceted career in both competition law – when he worked with AZB & Partners as an associate in their competition team, as well as in criminal law and general litigation while associated with the chambers of Senior Counsel Siddharth Aggarwal, and with the litigation chambers of Kapur & Trehan.

Throughout his career, Nikhil has represented a wide variety of clients. In competition defence cases, involving major cartel investigations and abuse of dominance cases, he has defended companies and individuals in sectors as varied as aviation, cement, chemicals, automobile and broadcasting, to name a few. On the criminal defence and trial side, Nikhil has represented defendants in a number of white collar criminal cases, economic offences, extradition proceedings and complex corruption and money laundering investigations.

Whenever he can, Nikhil likes to travel (to mountains and beaches equally), and to attend concerts.

Notable work:

• Represented automobile manufacturers before the Delhi High Court in writ petitions challenging the constitutionality of certain provisions of the Competition Act, 2002
• Acted for and advised various corporations and individuals in sensitive cartel investigations in the broadcasting and media industry before the CCI and Director General
• Representing clients in the Commonwealth Games scam cases, Supreme Court -monitored coal block cases, and the AgustaWestland chopper case