Don’t disrupt TACTV services, High Court tells private firm

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed a private firm not to disrupt the services of the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable Television (TACTV) for the reason that the government has not paid the pending amount to the company.

Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy passed the direction when the TACTV made a mention before the judge regarding the disruption in services of Arasu Cable TV.

Representing TACTV, Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ravindran submitted that if there are issues related to the payments from TACTV, the private firms have no other options than to approach an arbitrator.

“The private company has ignored the fact and disrupted the cable TV services of the TACTV,” the AAG submitted and pleaded to take the matter for an urgent hearing.

Concurring with the submissions of the AAG, Justice Ramamoorthy observed that the company should have approached the arbitrator and it should not disrupt the cable services.

The court further directed the private company to approach the arbitrator within 90 days and find a solution in connection with the pending payments from the government. The judge noted that cable TV services should not be barred by the private company for the next 90 days.

It is noted that TACTV services were stopped for two days reportedly due to technical glitches. Later, the police arrested the Manager of a private company for allegedly disrupting the services. It was said that the company entered into an agreement with TACTV in 2017 to supply 37 lakhs set-up boxes in TN. It was alleged that the government has to pay Rs 52 crore to the company. Therefore, the company disrupted the services which led to the arrest of one VS Rajan of that private company.