DoT moves SC seeking Videocon’s Rs 1,376-cr dues from Bharti Airtel

The Department of Telecom on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking to recover Videocon Telecommunications’ adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues of Rs 1,376 crore from Bharti Airtel.

The DoT told the apex court that it had raised the demand as per the SC’s September 1 judgment. DoT had raised the demand to Bharti Airtel to pay AGR dues of Videocon, which had traded its entire spectrum (30 MHz in 1800 MHz band) to Airtel in 2016. While the DoT had requested Airtel to comply with the SC directions, the teleco had questioned the DoT’s demand. Airtel had responded vide letters of October 16, 2020 and March 4, 2020 saying that “the DoT letter has no basis in law” and “Airtel cannot be held liable for Videocon’s past dues”, the department said in its affidavit to the apex court.