RNRL is being cheeky with SC and govt: RIL

New Delhi: Firing on all cylinders against Anil Ambani's RNRL on the last lap of arguments in the gas dispute case, Mukesh Ambani's RIL on Thursday accused younger brother Anil of getting cheeky with the Supreme Court and the Centre by producing confidential letters, mouthing blatant lies and reneging on its stand. 

    RIL's counsel Harish Salve said the consistent stand of RNRL through its representative Venkatarao Ponada was that the gas supply agreement between RIL and RNRL had to be based on the May 12, 2005, draft agreement between RIL and NTPC. 
    Salve said the May 12 draft agreement as well as the subsequent ones between RIL and NTPC had all specifically mentioned that the offer to supply gas to the PSU at $2.34 per mmbtu was subject to "government approval". 
    "Once RNRL found that it was on a sticky wicket over the May 12, 2005 draft, it produced a confidential letter written by NTPC chairman to the government saying government approval was not a pre-condition. How did they get this letter? They proudly say that they have their contacts. I think they are getting a little cheeky with the Supreme Court and the government," he said. 
    Moreover, he said RNRL had resorted to blatant lies before the court by submitting that the May 12, 2005 document was not on record before the high court. "I have argued before the HC and had clearly cited the May 12 document," Salve said, adding, "It's all getting a little cheeky and serious." 
    The NTPC chairman's letter in 2009 was not a contemporary document to be relied on for the purpose of deciding the dispute hinging on the provisions of scheme of demerger, he said. 
    It is the NTPC draft of May 12, 2005, which RNRL had understood to be a contemporaneous document that could be relied on and it should not be allowed to renege on its stand at this late stage of the dispute, Salve said. 
    Attempting to drive home that the Gas Supply Master Agreement (GSMA) between RIL-RNRL was a valid document, Salve said if RNRL thought that it was being influenced by the Gas Utilisation Policy (GUP) of the Centre, then the Anil Ambani firm was free to challenge the GUP in court.