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Tag: Digicable Comm

  • Calcutta HC extends Digicable Comm’s interim order till case disposal

    Calcutta HC extends Digicable Comm’s interim order till case disposal

    KOLKATA: Granting relief to Digicable Comm, the Calcutta High Court has extended the interim order till the disposal of the case.

     

    Earlier too, the Calcutta High Court had put the stay order on the cancellation of the registration of Kolkata-based multi-system operator (MSO) till 6 April, 2015, citing that “Digicable Comm, having been in business for quite some time and would suffer irreparable loss and injury, unless appropriate ad-interim protection is granted to them.”

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, DigiCableComm Services VP – operations & technology Lokesh Agarwal said, “Our matter was listed in the Hon’ble High Court under Hon’ble Justice I.P. Mukerji, with regard to DigiCable Comm DAS license for Kolkata and Howrah. Interim order already granted is extended till the disposal of the case.”

     

    It should be noted that in July 2014, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had cancelled the registration of Digicable Comm. Services.

     

    Digicable Comm, a joint venture (JV) between Digicable (51 per cent) and Kolkata-headquartered Multicar Group (49 per cent) was formed in the year 2009, to gain the foothold in the West Bengal market.

     

    Digicable Comm was always hopeful that after appealing to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and moving to the High Court, the decision would be in favour of the MSO. “We are happy to get the stay order extended from the High Court. Slowly we will expand in the region and are consolidating,” added Agarwal.

     

    MHA had cancelled the company’s permanent registration on 18 July, 2014 due to denial of security clearance.

     

    “Now we will do our best and expand in West Bengal,” Agarwal signed off.

     

  • Calcutta HC extends Digicable Comm’s interim stay by eight weeks

    Calcutta HC extends Digicable Comm’s interim stay by eight weeks

    KOLKATA: Granting relief to Digicable Comm, the Calcutta High Court has extended the interim stay by eight weeks.

    “Today, our matter was listed in Court No. 8 of the High Court under Justice Nadira Patheria with regards to Digicable Comm’s DAS licence for Kolkata and Howrah. The Court has allowed further extension of interim stay by eight weeks,” said Digicable Comm Services VP-operations & technology Lokesh Agarwal.

    Earlier also, the Calcutta High Court had put a stay order on the cancellation of the registration of the Kolkata-based multi-system operator (MSO) till 28 November, saying “Digicable Comm which has been in business for quite some time would suffer irreparable loss and injury, unless appropriate ad-interim protection is granted to them.”

    While the extension has been granted, the MSO is yet to get clarity on whether the extension, that is eight weeks, in this case, would be calculated from 28 November 2014 or 17 November 2014.
    If Digicable Comm is given eight weeks starting 17 November, then the interim extension will be till 17 January 2015.

    It should be noted that in July, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had cancelled the registration of Digicable Comm Services.

    Digicable Comm, a joint venture between Digicable (51 per cent) and Kolkata-headquartered Multicar Group (49 per cent) was formed in the year 2009, to gain foothold in the West Bengal market.
    Digicable Comm is hopeful that after appealing to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and moving to the High Court, the decision would be in its favour. “We are happy to get the stay order extended from the High Court,” added Agarwal.

    It should be noted that MHA cancelled the company’s permanent registration on 18 July due to denial of security clearance.

    Digicable Com which once had more than four lakh connections in the KM Area is left with around 25,000 set top boxes (STBs). “We will follow the mandates. We are hopeful that the authorities would consider the minute details presented by us,” concluded Agarwal.
     

     

  • Calcutta HC extends stay order on Digicable Comm’s licence cancellation till 28 Nov

    Calcutta HC extends stay order on Digicable Comm’s licence cancellation till 28 Nov

    KOLKATA: Granting relief to Digicable Comm Services once again, the Calcutta High Court has further extended the interim stay on the cancellation of the registration of the Kolkata-based multi system operator (MSO), till 28 November.

     

    As reported earlier, the MSO had got a stay order on the cancellation of the registration of its license till 29 August, which was later extended till 31 October.

     

    The case was again up for hearing today. “The matter was heard and the stay has been further extended till 28 November 2014,” said Digicable Comm Services VP – operations and technology Lokesh Agarwal.

     

    Around two months ago, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had cancelled the registration of Digicable Comm.

     

    Digicable counsel had earlier argued in the court that the MIB only stated the reason for cancellation of registration as not receiving security clearance from the Home Ministry. However, it did not give the reason for denial of security clearance. The Ministry counsel, in his response said that the reason for non- clearance cannot be disclosed to Digicable for security reasons.

     

     The court observed that when the MSO received its DAS licence in 2013, it was subject to security clearance from Home Ministry and the same has been denied in the order passed last month. Subsequently, Digicable Comm was asked to stop operations within 15 days.

     

     Digicable Comm however appealed to both the Home Ministry and High Court in order to put a stay on the cancellation.

     

  • Kolkata HC puts stay order on Digicable Comm Service’s license cancellation till 29 August

    Kolkata HC puts stay order on Digicable Comm Service’s license cancellation till 29 August

    KOLKATA: Granting relief to Digicable Comm Services, the Calcutta High Court has put a stay order on the cancellation of the registration of Kolkata-based multi-system operator (MSOs) till 29 August.

     

    In the order that was passed on 12 August, it states that “The petitioners having been in business for quite some time would suffer irreparable loss and injury, unless appropriate ad-interim protection is granted to them.”

     

    It continues to say, “The operation of the order dated 17/18 July, 2014 shall remain stayed till 29 August 2014”.

     

    Last month, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had cancelled the registration of Digicable.

     

    The Digicable counsel had argued in the court that the MIB had only stated the reason for cancellation of registration as not receiving security clearance from the Home Ministry. However, it did not give the reason for denial of security clearance. The counsel from the ministry side stated that the reason for clearance not being given cannot be disclosed to Digicable for security reasons.

     

    The court also observed that when the company was given the DAS licence in 2013, that was subject to the security clearance from Home Ministry and the same has been denied in the order passed last month. They were subsequently asked to stop operations within 15 days.

     

    Digicable Comm was hopeful that after appealing to the Home Ministry and moving the High Court, the decision would be in favour of the MSO.

     

    The company is a joint venture between Digicable (51 per cent) and Kolkata-headquartered Multicar Group (49 per cent) was formed in the year 2009, to gain the foothold in the West Bengal market.

     

    “We will follow the mandate. We are hopeful that the authorities would consider the minute details presented by us,” said Digicable Comm director Dileep Singh Mehta.

     

  • MSOs feel the heat in Kolkata

    MSOs feel the heat in Kolkata

    KOLKATA: It seems to be a really difficult time for the multi system operators (MSOs) in Kolkata. We have learnt that Kolkata Cable & Broadband Pariseva Ltd has been asked to pay a hefty amount to the government authorities as it has been avoiding the tax payment for quite some time.

    In another case, former CEO and managing director of Digicable Comm and now the head of the Kolkata operations of Hathway, Amit Nag, who was recently denied anticipatory bail by the Supreme Court, is allegedly untraceable. Sources indicate that the investigation may reach some other senior officials in the national MSO if he does not show up.

     
    Last week indiantelevision.com reported that two officials from Kolkata Cable & Broadband Pariseva Ltd – managing director Bijoy Kumar Agarwal and director Prasun Kumar Das – were arrested as the firm had not paid service tax to the tune of Rs 5.52 crore to the government exchequer.

    According to sources, the company has not paid the tax even after regularly collecting it from consumers and thus it has now been asked to pay around Rs 11-13 crore including the fine in the next 20-25 days.

    In the case of Nag, we have learnt that the national multi service operator Digicable had lodged an FIR against Nag alleging misuse of position and sharing of confidential data and digital materials like set top boxes and fibre optic wires.

    Siticable Kolkata director Suresh Sethia disclosed that Nag had allegedly deleted some sensitive data even when he was with Indian Cable Network Co (a Siticable affiliate in Kolkata) and now he has done the same with Digicable.

    Apparently, Nag had applied for a bail plea which was also rejected by division bench of Calcutta High Court.

    Sethia says: “We had filed a case against him on 1 January 2010 for deleting sensitive data like line diagrams and sharing of confidential data with competitors. Digicable has also complained of the same offence. In our case, the charge sheet was already filed in April 2013. In case of Digi, his bail request is cancelled and now he is absconding.”

    All this seems to be turning against the MSOs as the business community has even got a warning from the finance minister P Chidambaram that the government may arrest and prosecute the ‘chronic’ service tax evaders.