Sadhguru's foundation case with BSNL: Madras HC orders fresh probe into Rs 2.5cr bill

Chennai: The Madras High Court has annulled an arbitrator's order quashing bills amounting to over Rs 2.5 crore by Jaggi Vasudev's Isha Foundation payable to BSNL on non-payment of telephone bills.

Isha Foundation had challenged the huge bills due to the BSNL before an arbitrator on the argument that it had not made the calls. Considering Isha Foundation's argument, arbitrator Justice E Padmanabhan quashed the two bills, and BSNL challenged the verdict in the Madras High Court.

BSNL had issued bills amounting to Rs 20,18,198 for the billing period between December 1, 2018, and December 31, 2018, and a bill dated February 2, 2019, for Rs 2,30,29,264 for the billing period of January 1, 2019, to February 1, 2019, to the Isha Foundation.

Advocate P Wilson, the counsel for BSNL, told the court that the Foundation could not deny the bills raised against the calls made in the exchange located inside the Isha Foundation. The lawyer also questioned the arbitrator for passing an order in favour of the Foundation without considering the several documentary evidence.

He alleged that the arbitrator had taken the words of the Yogi as if it was gospel truth in toto and rejected the plea by the BSNL.

He said that "men can speak lies, but a machine will not" and said that lakhs of calls were made from the ashram and that the BSNL telephone exchange that was inside the Ashram had recorded these calls.

Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy allowed the argument of BSNL and ordered a de novo enquiry by the arbitrator on the points raised by the telecom provider.