Mukesh Ambani meets law minister, legal experts

Amid a continuing legal battle between the Ambani brothers over gas supply, the elder of the two, Mukesh Ambani, is believed to have met Law Minister Veerappa Moily.

No details could be obtained about what transpired at the meeting late last night and an RIL spokesperson declined comment. Besides Moily, Mukesh is also understood to have held extensive consultations with legal experts on the ongoing battle.

His younger brother Anil met Telecom Minister A Raja, apart from his meetings with a battery of lawyers. Anil group’s spokesperson too declined comment.

The two brothers are engaged in a long-running legal dispute over supply of gas from RIL to Anil group firm RNRL and the matter reached the Supreme Court earlier this month after the two groups moved the apex court with cross-petitions over a Bombay High Court ruling. The Petroleum Ministry has also filed a special leave petition, seeking direction for declaring as ‘null and void’ a memorandum of understanding between RIL and RNRL that provides for gas supply. The SC will hear the government’s petition for admissibility, as also the cross-appeals by RIL and RNRL, on September 1.

NTPC today said it was taking legal opinion on the impact of the court battle between Ambani brothers group firms over gas supply and a related government petition on its ongoing case with Mukesh Ambani-led Relaince Industries.

“We are still in the process of consultation from all the sources including our internal legal counsel,” NTPC Chairman and Managing Director R S Sharma told PTI.

NTPC, which has taken RIL to court seeking implementation of a contract for supply of gas at $2.34 per mmBtu, which is also the prayer of RNRL before the Supreme Court, is reportedly seeking opinion from the Attorney General on the government’s plea that RIL has no right to fix gas price.