DoT seeks clarity on dues of RCom, Jio

Senior officials of debt-ridden Reliance Communications and Reliance Jio on Wednesday met Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan to discuss payment related to the spectrum sale deal between the two firms.

The Department of Telecom clarified to the two firms that unless there is clarity on payment of dues and associated charges by the companies, deal cannot be cleared.

Mukesh Ambani-led Jio has refused to take any payment liability of his younger brother's firm RCom to complete spectrum trading deal between the two companies, sources said.

The department has said that under the present circumstances, when both the parties are not in a position to take the responsibility of payment of dues, the deal cannot be taken on record.

"The Supreme Court had asked us to accept guarantees being given by RCom. We have complied with the court order but as per spectrum trading rule, DoT has the right to recover dues. After Reliance Jio's letter refusing to take on past liabilities of RCom, DoT is not in a position to take the spectrum trading between them on record. The same has been conveyed to RCom," an official source said.