RIL-RNRL gas dispute case hearing to resume next week

The Bombay High Court will resume hearing of RIL-RNRL gas dispute case next week. The division bench of Justices J N Patel and K K Tated would continue to hear the case, though Justice Tated was transferred to Aurangabad bench of the High Court last week, High Court sources said.

The case is likely to come up for hearing on January 12, RIL lawyers said.

The case pertains to gas-purchase agreement between Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries (RIL) and younger brother Anil Ambani's Reliance Natural Resources (RNRL). RIL agreed to sell natural gas from its Krishna Godavari gasfields to RNRL, at the time of the demerger of Reliance group.

But price of gas, quantity to be sold, and duration of supply are the contentious issues.

The government has intervened in the case, essentially supporting RIL's stand that price of gas should be subject to government approval and it cannot be less than $4.20 per million British thermal units.

However, at the last hearing, the government had withdrawn its affidavits where this stand was taken.