Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd, which issued signal disconnection notice to MSO Siti Networks on May 6 over non-payment of dues, has been made a respondent in a case in the broadcast disputes tribunal TDSAT by the latter who is disputing the discontinuation of the broadcaster’s service.

TDSAT, acceding to Zee counsel’s request for time to file a reply, has posted the case for hearing on August 10.

However, the counsel for the petitioner submitted at the disputes tribunal that they were “ready and willing to deposit Rs. 40 crores before the Registrar of this tribunal on or before 12.5.2023”, adding that the respondent should keep this in mind while filing its reply.

Though no official words were forthcoming from Zee and Siti Networks, sources did hint that a resolution to the issue could be arrived at much before the next date of hearing at the TDSAT.

A compromise formula is very much possible within a week so as not to inconvenience customers of MSO Siti Networks, industry sources indicated.

Zee is in the midst of a merger with Sony Entertainment TV (now called Culver Max). Both Zee and Siti Networks have common heritage as the parent for both used to be the Essel Group, which was transformed and expanded into a modern corporate by the maverick Subhash Chandra in the early 1990s when Zee was born.

In a newspaper advertisement earlier this month, Zee said, “Notice is hereby given to the general public and the subscribers of Siti Networks Limited…that Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. has deactivated the signals of the TV channels of ZEE on Siti’s platform w.e.f. 6th May, 2023 on account of non-payment of huge dues.”

The notice went to add: “It is hereby notified that any MSO, LCO, or other DPO including Siti’s JV’s found to be providing “ZEE TV Channels” to Siti and/or to its subscribers, would be liable to clear the subscription outstanding dues including audit demand raised on Siti Plus claim of civil damages and criminal proceedings.

“Furthermore, any MSO, LCO or other DPO purchasing the assets of Siti, in any manner (thereby defeating the rights of ZEE to recover its dues) including but not limited to creating third party rights by way of lease, sale, transfer, assignment, whatsoever, shall become liable to make entire payment of the outstanding amount as indicated above to ZEE.”