Department of Telecommunications may move SC against moratorium on Aircel spectrum

Mumbai: The Department of Telecommunications is likely to move the Supreme Court seeking to exclude spectrum held by Aircel from the scope of the moratorium on the bankrupt telco. The DoT wants the operator to return the airwaves to the government for not paying dues.

The DoT’s plan comes after an appellate tribunal dismissed its plea contesting an earlier order declaring that Aircel’s spectrum and licence cannot be taken away while it undergoes insolvency, according to people aware of the matter.

The battle between Aircel, which filed for bankruptcy in early 2018 weighed down by Rs 26,000 crore of debt, and DoT started when the latter demanded payment of dues on airwaves, failing which the government would suspend the telco’s licences.