New Delhi, 24.8.2021 (Tuesday)
In a partial relief for Bharati
Airtel, the Supreme Court (/topic/supreme-court) on Tuesday asked the
Department of Telecom (/topic/telecom)munications (DOT), not to encash the bank
guarantees for three weeks for not clearing Rs 1,300 crore AGR (Adjusted Gross
Revenue) dues.
A two-judge bench of the Apex
Court, headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao passed the order today and asked the
DOT not to encash the bank guarantees for three weeks in AGR Case. The Apex
court refused to entertain Bharati Airtel's plea challenging DoT demand, but,
the SC, however, said that it (Bharati Airtel) can move TDSAT (Telecom
(/topic/telecom) Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal) and can appeal
against the Central government's decision. Bharti Airtel
(/topic/bharti-airtel), after this, withdrew its plea against DoT's demand to
pay Videocon's AGR dues. Bharti Airtel (/topic/bharti-airtel), today, during
the course of the hearing, said that Videocon is a telecom service provider
under insolvency, which has dues of Rs 1,376 crore. The Spectrum trade governed
by govt norms, can't be asked to pay Videocon's dues. The seller has to clear
all dues prior to concluding any agreement for spectrum trade.