The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has recently directed Zee Media Corporation Limited to pay Hinduja Global Solutions Limited 50 per cent of the outstanding amount within one week.
TDSAT member Subodh Kumar Gupta ordered that as an interim measure, Zee Media, the petitioner, is directed to pay Hinduja Global Solutions Rs 1,69,70,832 of the outstanding amount, Rs 3,39,41,664, by 5:30 pm on January 13, 2025, through demand draft/online mode.
The order also added that the respondent should not take any further coercive step against the petitioner till the next date of hearing. For the remaining 50 per cent of the amount, the petitioner will submit their offer of payment before the Tribunal by the next hearing with a copy to the respondent. It also clarified that the payment shall not tantamount to admission of facts by the petitioner or respondents.
Advocates Upender Thakur, Vishakha Thakur, Yasheshvi Vashishtha, Nipun Gupta and Akshita Nain appeared for Hinduja Global Solutions. Zee Media was represented by Senior Advocate Meet Malhotra, Advocates Tejveer Singh Bhatia, Palak Singh and Vishakha Ahuja.
Zee Media had moved TDSAT alleging the respondent issued an unilateral, arbitrary and illegal notice on January 3, 2025, mentioning that the RIO between them is expiring on January 9, and all 18 channels of the petitioner will be switched off. The plea also submitted that the respondent also issued a communication on December 12, 2024, alleging it to be a disconnection notice on the account of the alleged outstanding dues payable by the petitioner. The plea noted that the RIO based agreement was valid till January 31 2025.
In view of aforesaid submission, the petitioner urged the TDSAT to declare the impugned notice dated January 3, 2025 and December 16, 2024 as void ab initio and bad in law. It further demanded the tribunal to declare the Marketing Service Agreement dated 09.02.2024 is beyond the scope of TRAI Regulations and any outstanding thereunder cannot be the cause for disconnection of TV channels which are governed by Subscription Agreement within the regulatory regime.
The matter has been listed for directions on February 4, 2025.