Telecom major Bharti Airtel has paid Rs 10,000 crore to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) towards statutory dues. The hurried payment comes just days after the Supreme Court pulled up telecom players for non-adherance to the apex court judgment of October 23, 2019.
According to the assessment by the DoT, Airtel owes nearly Rs 35,586 crore, including licence fee and spectrum usage charge, to the government in adjusted gross revenue (AGR). The company said it will make payment of the balance amount after a self assessment exercise.
"The...total amount of Rs 10,000 crore has been paid on behalf of Bharti Airtel, Bharti Hexacom, and Telenor. We are in the process of completing the self assessment exercise expeditiously and will duly make the balance payment upon completion of the same, before the next date of hearing in the SC," Bharti Airtel said. The company said it will also submit supporting details at the time of making balance payment.
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The telecom department on February 14 began issuing orders asking firms such as Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea to clear past dues immediately. The DoT, which faced the ire of the Supreme Court for putting on hold recovery of dues from telecom companies, had started issuing circle or zone-wise demand notices to the firms.
According to official sources, Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Tata Teleservices were likely to make payment for Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues on Monday to avoid stringent punitive action from the telecom department.
(With PTI inputs)
