Reliance Info gets relief from TDSAT

Reliance Infocomm today got a temporary relief from paying the Rs 150 crore penalty imposed by the government on charges of illegal routing of international calls with the Telecom Dispute Appelate Tribunal (TDSAT) directing that there should be no recovery of penalty till the
next date of hearing - February 8.

Although no order was passed by TDSAT to stay the payment of penalty, it has asked the department of telecom (DoT) not to take 'precipitated' action for the recovery of the penalty till further hearing.

Reliance Infocomm had moved TDSAT earlier this week challenging the penalty imposed on it by DoT.

Harish Salve, appearing for Reliance Infocomm, later said that TDSAT's directive was virtually staying the DoT order.

C A Sunderam, DoT's counsel, however, said that "the order stands and it has not been stayed. Till the next date of hearing, we will just wait and see."

Meanwhile, TDSAT chairman D P Wadhwa asked DoT to file a reply on Reliance Infocomm's petition within the next ten days, and fixed February 8 as the next date of hearing.

Stating that it was a dispute between licensee (Reliance Infocomm) and licensor (DoT), Salve said the government cannot impose a penalty unilaterally. "There is no finding by any independent authority that Reliance has breached the terms and conditions of licence."