Singapore telecom firm SingTel today denied having violated any International Long Distance (ILD) licence norms as alleged by CBI, which registered a case against the company for allegedly causing a loss to the exchequer.
“The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in India has registered a case against SingTel, together with two other Indian telcos, for allegedly providing international long distance services to Indian customers without a licence. No official charges have been brought against SingTel,” SingTel said in a statement.
The CBI has registered a case in a Delhi court against Bharti Airtel Ltd, Tata Communications Ltd and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd for allegedly causing a loss of nearly Rs 48 crore to the government since 2004 by illegally providing international long distance (ILD) services.
“SingTel denies and will actively defend itself against the allegation. As a long term strategic investor, SingTel respects and conducts its business according to applicable laws in the countries it operates in,” the company said.
In its FIR, the CBI has alleged that DoT noticed there is an unauthorised/illegal international long distance service provider M/s Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, which was selling unauthorised ILD services to Indian customers since 2004 without obtaining the requisite ILD licence from DoT in connivance with Bharti Airtel and Tata Communications.
The CBI in its FIR had said the Singaporean company offered and provided unauthorised ILD services to the Indian customers without obtaining the requisite ILD licence from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
Tata Communications has yesterday denied the allegations.