The Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) has hit back at the Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio, demanding an apology for “attacking, belittling and making false imputations” against it, while also threatening of “legal action.”
This follows a similar warning issued by Reliance Jio, which demanded a public apology and threatened to pursue defamation proceedings against the COAI, for “callous and defamatory statements.”
Within rights
As an industry body, the association was “well within its rights” to voice its views or flag concerns over regulatory decisions that were “detrimental to the growth and development of the telecom sector,” said Rajan Mathews, director general, COAI, in a letter to Jio.
COAI argued that mere voicing of its views “does not form and cannot form a case of defamation” as alleged by Reliance Jio in its recent defamation notice.
“Merely because Reliance Jio (RJIL) happens to disagree with the position that the COAI has taken in the press release, does not and cannot imply, as your captioned notice has sought to, that the COAI harbours any malicious intentions against RJIL,” COAI said in a letter dated February 28.
“We reserve our right to initate legal action against… RJIL for false and malicious imputations against COAI and its officers,” it added.
The fresh round of verbal battle started after the recent new tariff order issued to TRAI, wherein the regulator said there was no need to impose restrictions on the number of promotional offers that an operator can provide to its subscribers, while also amending the definition of ‘significant market power’ and predatory pricing.
COAI has alleged that the new order has distorted “the competitive landscape in favour of one operator … with deep pockets and monopolistic designs.”
