The government on Friday cleared British telecom firm Vodafone's application for buying a majority stake in India's fourth-largest mobile operator Hutch-Essar Ltd.
The Foreign Investment Promotion Board has expressed dissatisfaction with the replies given by Hutchison Essar, its Hong Kong-based parent Hutchison Telecom International
Says cap breached on account of Singh, Ghosh stakes.
The FIPB referred the matter to the law ministry today.
British giant Vodafone and Indian conglomerate Essar group reached an agreement on Thursday for jointly running India's fourth largest mobile firm -- Hutch-Essar, which would be rechristened Vodafone Essar.
The Ruias are contemplating approaching the Ministry of Company Affairs for its views on the Right of First Refusal (RoFR) clause in their shareholders' agreement with Hutchison Telecom International Ltd (HTIL).
Sources said I-T deparment has sent a notice to Vodafone for not paying capital gains tax, arguing that the company should have deducted tax at source while making payment to Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecom International Ltd.
Seeks capital gains tax payment prior to FIPB clearance.
Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecom International Ltd, which sold its majority stake in Hutch-Essar to Vodafone, has already made its final submission before the investment regulator.
Government approval for British telecom giant Vodafone's takeover of Hutch-Essar now depends on whether the two minority stakeholders in the company can prove through documents that they are not acting as benami shareholders for Hutchison.
Hutchison Telecom International Ltd is believed to have called a meeting of shareholders on February 15 to seek their approval for the proposed sale of its 67 per cent stake in India's Hutch-Essar.
As top bosses of Vodafone and Essar arrived in Hong Kong to negotiate a deal for acquiring Hutchison Telecom's Indian business, its parent company has indicated it will not consider any offer below $14 billion.
The race for acquiring India's third largest mobile services provider Hutch, has hotted up with Reliance Communications backed by an US equity funder
Hutchison Telecom International Ltd, the Hong-Kong based parent of Hutchison that operates the Hutch-Essar JV in India with Essar group, has said the termination of BPL Mobile Mumbai circle merger deal by its Indian partner was wrong.
Amid a government scrutiny into the alleged breach of FDI norms by Hutchison Telecom International, the Hong Kong-based firm on Monday asserted its Indian mobile venture Hutch Essar Ltd (HEL) did not violate any regulations.
Hutchison Telecom International Limited, which recently sold its 67 per cent control in mobile service provider Hutchison Essar to Vodafone, has filed a caveat in the Bombay high court requesting that it be made a party to any suit by the Ruias.
Hutchison Telecom International Ltd will convene an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders on March 9 to vote on sale of its controlling stake in Indian mobile operator Hutch-Essar to UK mobile phone giant Vodafone.
Egyptian mobile operator Orascom has said it was open to sell a part of its 19.3 per cent stake in Hutchison Telecom International Ltd, a promoter of Indian cellular joint venture Hutch-Essar.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances