The Hindu Business Line : ILD calls issue: BSNL demands Rs 60 cr more from Reliance

BHARAT Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has slapped another Rs 60 crore penalty on Reliance Infocomm for allegedly routing international long distance (ILD) calls as local calls.

BSNL had earlier raised a demand of Rs 263 crore, of which Reliance has paid up Rs 182 crore. With thefresh penalty by BSNL, the total outstanding amount now stands at Rs 130 crore.

According to data compiled by BSNL, the biggest loser has been the State-owned company's Kolkata circle, where the net outstanding against Reliance has been pegged at Rs 90.2 crore. BSNL's Chennai circle has also reported a net outstanding of Rs 23.7 crore.

Reliance Infocomm had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging BSNL's claims and the matter is now sub-judice.

The controversy began after BSNL blew the whistle on Reliance Infocomm for allegedly routing ILD calls as local calls through the Home Country Direct Service.

While Reliance claimed that the services were part of its ILD licence, BSNL alleged that the private operator was illegally routing the calls to avoid payment of the Access Deficit Charges (ADC).

The Department of Telecom had also supported the stand taken by BSNL and imposed a Rs 150-crore fine on Reliance. Subsequently, the Chief Vigilance Commission had started an inquiry against the alleged illegal routing and sought an explanation from BSNL on measures taken by it to recover the dues from Reliance Infocomm.

BSNL had even disconnected some of the points of inter-connection with Reliance and had threatened to pull the plug off the company across the country if it did not pay up the ADC.

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