Several creditors have approached the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for recovering dues pending with Reliance Communications and Reliance Telecom. At least 24 operational creditors have moved different NCLT benches in Mumbai against the two firms of Anil Ambani's Reliance Group under Section 9 of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), an Indian Express report said.

The list of 24 creditors that have gone to the NCLT against RCom and Reliance Telecom includes names like Paytm's parent company One97 Communications, logistics firm GATI Ltd, Bangalore International Airport Ltd, among others. The dues that these companies are looking to recover from the two firms go up to crores of rupees. While One97 Communications has asked for payments to the tune of Rs 20 crore from RCom, Bangalore International Airport has asked the telecom arm of Reliance Group to pay more than Rs 1 crore.

Form the other creditors yet to resolve their dispute with Anil Ambani's firms, Ascend Telecom, a telecom infrastructure provider, has filed three separate petitions against RCom and Reliance Telecom for settling defaults it claimed were over Rs 23 crore. Out of the 24 lenders, 11 firms have either settled or are in the process of settling their disputes with the two Anil Ambani's firms, whereas the remaining 13 pleas are yet to be resolved.

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court had asked RCom to clear the dues of Rs 550 crore to telecom equipment maker Ericsson India by December 15. The bench headed by Jsutice RF Nariman has also stipulated that delayed payment would attract an interest of 12 per cent per annum, cautioning the now defunct telco that it is its last chance to pay up.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Reliance said that the company has been waiting for department of telecom's approval to sell its spectrum following which it will pay the Ericsson. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Ericsson said that the argument of the Reliance is a "complete bogey".

Ericsson's has filed a plea in the apex court seeking contempt action against RCom Chairman Anil Ambani and others for failing to pay Rs 550 crore towards settlement to the company by September end. The company had alleged that RCom has "wilfully and consciously" defied the order dated August 3 of the top court and the undertaking given before it to pay Rs 550 by September end this year.

It has sought initiation of contempt proceedings against RCom top officials including Ambani. "They have no respect for the law of the nation and have abused the due process of law," the plea had said. The apex court had approved the settlement between RCom and Ericsson India Pvt Ltd over a payment dispute and asked the telecom company to pay Rs 550 crore to the Indian arm of the Swedish firm by September 30.

Edited by Vivek Punj