The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has directed Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited to give Loop Telecom a week?s time to clear its dues for network interconnect usage charges before enchasing mobile operator?s bank guarantees to recover the dues.
The matter will again come-up for hearing before TDSAT on July 17, 2012.
Earlier, Loop Telecom had entered into interconnect agreement with BSNL and had submitted a list of 23 bank guarantees for different circles to BSNL. Out of the 23 bank guarantees Loop Telecom?s four bank guarantees were valid upto July 15, 2012 and the rest of the bank guarantees were valid upto October 2012 and April 2013. However, with cancellation Loop Telecom?s 2G licence by the Supreme Court order early this year, BSNL enchased Loop Telecom?s bank guarantees in few of the circles. Following this, the mobile operator approached TDSAT to direct BSNL to stop encashing its bank guarantees without sharing any advance information with the mobile operator. In its petition, Loop Telecom stated that BSNL was encashing the entire amount of the bank guarantee, which was higher than the amount of dues that the mobile operator was liable to pay BSNL.
Following Loop Telecom?s petition, TDSAT early this month stayed BSNL from encashing the bank guarantee given by Loop Telecom in Madhya Pradesh and J&K circles. Loop Telecom has also filed a separate petition with TDSAT seeking Rs 10 billion from the government for issuing it faulty 2G licence and spectrum.
