DoT gets legal nod to challenge order on Rs 7,000 crore bank guarantees

NEW DELHI: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has got legal clearance to challenge a tribunal order staying its demands from Bharti Airtel and Tata Teleservices for bank guarantees of over Rs 7,000 crore before approving the merger.

The green light comes from the Assistant Solicitor General’s office, which has said in its opinion sought by the DoT, that the dues from the carriers should be demanded, which in turn means challenging the order of the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) that had allowed the carriers to utilise airwaves and asked DoT to approve the merger.