Pay Rs 309 cr, MTNL tells Reliance

In yet another case of alleged routing of international calls as local ones, MTNL has slapped a demand of Rs 309 crore on Reliance Infocomm, which has approached the Delhi High Court seeking to restrain MTNL from disconnecting its points of interconnections.

The matter, which was listed for hearing today before Justice Vikramjit Sen, was adjourned till tomorrow as Reliance Infocomm sought time to argue the issue.

Meanwhile, complying with the Delhi High Court directive last week, Reliance Infocomm has deposited Rs 40 crore with the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) pending a final decision on the dispute over routing of international calls as local calls by the private player.

"We have served them (Reliance Infocomm) notices aggregating to the amount about Rs 309 crore for their failure to pay rs 309 crore for routing international calls as local ones in Delhi and Mumbai circle," MTNL sources said.

Meanwhile, sources said the private telecom operator today deposited Rs 10 crore each for both the circles.

Last week, on a similar charge a division bench of Delhi High Court had directed reliance to deposit Rs 40 crore with another PSU, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, and to confirm through an affidavit that it (Reliance Infocomm) has already taken steps disconnecting such routes.

The bench had also asked BSNL to maintain status quo on the interconnect agreement and the matter was adjourned till November 30.

Reliance spokesperson today confirmed that it has deposited Rs 40 crore with BSNL as per the court's directive.