Business
CARE Ratings places NDTV’s bank facilities on ‘credit watch’, shares gallop

The shares of Adani group’s takeover target satellite channel company New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) continued to hit the upward circuit on Monday with the price touching Rs 540.85.
The 52-week low price for the scrip was Rs 72.
Meanwhile, credit rating agency CARE Ratings has placed ratings assigned to NDTV’s bank facilities on credit watch with developing implications following takeover decision by the Adani group.
NDTV, which had postponed its 34th annual general meeting (AGM)to September 27 from the earlier fixed date of September 20, said it has completed the dispatch of notice for the shareholders meeting on September 3, 2022.
Due to change in the date of the AGM, the Register of Members and the Share Transfer Book of the Company will now remain closed September 20-27 (both days inclusive), NDTV had said.
The scrip has been on the upswing since August 23, the day on which the Adani group’s AMG Media Networks announced its subsidiary Vishvapradhan Commercial Private Ltd’s (VCPL) decision to exercise its rights to acquire 99.5 per cent of equity shares of RRPR Holding Private Ltd, the investment company of NDTV promoters – Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy.
The VCPL holds 1,990,000 warrants of RRPR Holding entitling it to convert them into 99.99 per cent stake in the latter.
The VCPL has exercised its option in part, resulting in acquisition control of RRPR Holding — 1,990,000 equity shares or 99.50 per cent.
RRPR Holding holds 29.18 per cent stake in NDTV that has three national television channels.
This triggered the issue of open offer to acquire shares of NDTV from the public as per SEBI’s (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011.
Placing the credit ratings of NDTV’s bank facilities on credit watch with developing implication, CARE Ratings said it will continue to monitor the developments in this regard and will take a view on the ratings once the exact implications of the acquisition on the credit risk profile of the company are clear.
According to CARE Ratings, the ratings continue to remain constrained by high exposure towards group companies and revenue concentration risk as the company majorly generates revenue from advertisement which in turn exposes the company’s revenue profile to the business cycle of the advertisers.
“The ratings are also constrained on account of uncertainty over ongoing litigations against the company and its promoters especially pertaining to tax demand, hence the impact of the same on operational and financial risk profile of the company is not clear,” CARE Rating said.
According to CARE Ratings, NDTV had a total investment of Rs 335.13 crore in its subsidiaries/joint ventures/associates as on March 31, 2022 (Rs 325.03 crore as on March 31, 2021) as against its tangible net worth of Rs 345.09 crore as on March 31, 2022, majority of which are in NDTV Networks Limited, having an investment of Rs 315.70 crore as on March 31, 2022 (NDTV Networks Limited have a negative net worth of Rs 28.48 crore as on March 31, 2022).
“There are a number of ongoing litigations against the company especially pertaining to tax demand, the outcome of which will be crucial, particularly in the matter pertaining to transaction with Universal Studios International BV (a General Electric company) wherein a tax demand of
Rs 450 crore had been raised against the company for AY 2009-10,” CARE Ratings said.
“Further, the company had also received demand notice from SEBI for alleged non-disclosure of tax demand dated November 22, 2019, against which the company filed an appeal and matter is likely to be listed on September 12, 2022. Company also received show cause notice from the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) for the alleged contraventions under Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (“FEMA”),” the credit rating agency said.
The CARE Ratings said the company also received notice dated August 20, 2018, from SEBI in regard to alleged violation of Clause 36 of erstwhile Listing Agreement for non-disclosure of loan agreements entered into by Prannoy Roy, Radhika Roy and RPRR Holding with VCPL in 2009-10.
“Further, the investigation by CBI is also pending with respect to the FIR registered against the company, promoters and other officials on August 19, 2019, in a case of alleged violation of foreign direct investment rules in one of their companies under section of Indian Penal Code, 1980 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. In addition to this, there are few other investigations also pending w.r.t. income tax demand. Any adverse developments in relation to these ongoing legal cases having a material impact on the operational or financial risk profile of the company shall remain negative from the credit perspective,” CARE Ratings said.
National
After LS nod, Waqf Bill to be presented in Rajya Sabha today

New Delhi, April 3: After the Lok Sabha passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, it will be tabled by the government in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
The Lok Sabha intensely discussed the bill for more than 12 hours, which began at Wednesday noon and continued till the early hours of Thursday. The Waqf Bill was passed with 288 votes in favour and 232 against.
Apart from the Waqf bill passage, a resolution was adopted by the Lower House confirming the President’s Rule in Manipur.
As per the Business List for Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will move in the Rajya Sabha the Statutory Resolution confirming the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur.
HM Shah will “move the following Resolution – that this House approves the Proclamation issued by the President on the 13th February 2025 under Article 356(1) of the Constitution in relation to the State of Manipur.”
The Lok Sabha early Thursday passed the Statutory Resolution confirming the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur. Even though members across party lines supported the decision, some opposition members slammed the Centre for the situation in Manipur. HM Shah said that the government has taken every possible measure to bring back normalcy in the restive Northeastern state.
Minister Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani will lay a statement regarding the withdrawal of funds from the Contingency Fund of India for servicing Interest on Sovereign Guarantee Bonds (SGBs) raised by Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL).
In the Lok Sabha, the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024, will be put up by Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for consideration and passing. The motion was moved by Sonowal on April 1, namely – “That the Bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to regulation of coastal shipping, promote coasting trade and encourage domestic participation therein, to ensure that India is equipped with a coastal fleet, owned and operated by the citizens of India for its national security and commercial needs, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be taken into consideration.”
Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu will move The Protection of Interests In Aircraft Objects Bill, 2025, for consideration and passing. The Bill seeks to “provide for protection of interests in aircraft objects and to implement the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and the Protocol to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment on Matters Specific to Aircraft Equipment, each signed at Cape Town on 16th November, 2001.”
Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will make a statement in the Lower House regarding “the status of implementation of the recommendations contained in the 10th Report of the Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs on PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) pertaining to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs”.
National
Supreme Court rebukes Telangana CM over statement made in Assembly

New Delhi, April 2: The Supreme Court on Wednesday rebuked Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy over his statement made in the state Assembly, saying he was making mockery of the anti-defection law.
The Chief Minister had stated that there would be no by-elections even if the MLAs of the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) defect to the ruling Congress.
“If this is said on the floor of the house, your Hon’ble CM is making a mockery of the 10th Schedule,” the bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and A.G. Masih, slamming the Chief Minister while hearing petitions filed by BRS leaders, seeking disqualification of BRS MLAs who defected to Congress last year.
BRS MLA P. Kaushik Reddy had filed the petition seeking the disqualification of MLAs T. Venkata Rao, Danam Nagender, and Kadiyam Srihari for defecting to the Congress after winning the election on BRS tickets.
The Telangana High Court, in November last year, directed the Speaker of the Telangana Assembly to decide on the disqualification petitions within a ‘reasonable time’.
Later, Kaushik Reddy and another BRS MLA K. Pandu Vivekananda and BJP MLA A. Maheshwar Reddy filed separate petitions in the Supreme Court, seeking direction to the Speaker to decide on the disqualification petitions in a time-bound manner.
The Supreme Court is also hearing the petition of BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao, seeking the disqualification of seven other BRS MLAs who switched loyalties to Congress.
During the hearing on the petitions on Wednesday, counsel for the petitioners C. Aryaman Sundaram brought to the court’s notice the statement made by the Chief Minister in the Assembly on March 26.
Appearing for the respondents, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi argued that Assembly proceedings were not in question in the present case.
Justice Gavai suggested that the senior lawyer warn the Chief Minister against making such controversial statements in the legislature.
“We know we are slow in issuing contempt notices, but we are also not powerless,” he said.
The bench observed that statements made in legislatures have sanctity.
“When politicians say something in the Assembly, it has got sanctity. In fact, the judgments say that when we interpret laws, the speech given on the floor of the House can be used for interpreting,” it said.
Justice Gavai told Rohatgi to warn the Chief Minister against repeating the mistake.
The judge was apparently referring to the CM’s remark made in August last year about the bail granted to BRS MLC K. Kavitha in Delhi liquor policy case. Revanth Reddy had reportedly stated that Kavitha could secure bail within five months as the vote bank of the BRS was transferred to the BJP.
“Do we pass our orders in consultation with political parties? We are not bothered about which party politicians belong to… We are not bothered by politicians’ criticism of our orders. We do our duty as per the Constitution and our oath,” Justice Gavai had said while addressing Rohatgi and Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Revanth Reddy.
After the Supreme Court faulted the Chief Minister for his remarks, he unconditionally expressed his regret.
Speaking in the Assembly last month, the Chief Minister told BRS MLAs who switched loyalties to the Congress that they need not worry as by-elections will not be held.
The Chief Minister stated that during the BRS rule, turncoats took oath as ministers and no by- elections were held in the previous government. “How will by-elections be held now?” he asked.
The Chief Minister’s statement drew a strong reaction from the BRS leader Rama Rao, who had said that they would bring this to the court’s notice.
National
Bengal Police unnecessarily creating panic over Ram Navami: BJP

Kolkata, April 2: A senior leader of BJP from West Bengal, on Wednesday, accused the West Bengal Police of creating unnecessary panic among common people over the forthcoming Ram Navami festival.
BJP’s former national vice-president and former party Lok Sabha member Dilip Ghosh said that the decision of the police authorities to cancel the leaves of all cops, except for emergency reasons, from April 2-9 was unnecessary.
“Such panic-driven decisions are prompted only during Hindu festivals. The police should take care of those who create trouble. Hindus are well organised and they perform their religious rituals peacefully. Lakhs of people participate in Durga Puja, and no tension is created. It has become a habit of the ruling party to create tension and panic,” Ghosh said.
He also said that the chances of untoward incidents over the Ram Navami processions will not be there if the police strictly handle those who want to create tension on the occasion.
Last week, two senior officials of West Bengal Police told media persons that they have got specific intelligence inputs on some vested interests trying to instigate violence in the coming days, especially targeting the forthcoming Ram Navami festival.
“There are plans to instigate people through different posters or posts. The police are on alert. There might be attempts to instigate tension among people from different communities, especially focusing on the occasion of Ram Navami. We requested people not to get instigated. There is no need to worry. But at the same time, we also request people to alert the local police in case they notice any suspicious activities in their respective areas,” said Additional Director General (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar on March 29.
Recently, there were reports of communal clashes from Mothabari in Malda district.
Recently, the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, said at least 2,000 rallies, big and small combined, will be brought out on the occasion of Ram Navami this year.
He also said that participants at the rallies on Ram Navami this year will be double compared to last year.
“Ram Navami will be celebrated this year in a major way. I will be there on the streets on that day. Last year, around 50 lakh Hindus were on the streets to participate in rallies on the occasion of Ram Navami. Last year, there were 1,000 rallies. This year there will be 2,000 rallies and around one crore Hindus will participate in those rallies this year,” he claimed.
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