The Ministry of Communications is likely to ask Idea Cellular to surrender six of the telecom licences it acquired in 2008. These licences overlap with those of Spice Communications, which Idea acquired subsequently. In addition, the communications ministry intends to issue a show-cause notice to the operator for not surrendering the licences earlier, thereby violating telecom norms.
Idea may even face penalties for the same. The company, which was in the process of spinning off two companies that would own these licences, is not likely to be refunded the entry fee of Rs 8 billion it paid for acquiring the licences.
