Centre requests SC to declare Ambani family gas pact null and void

New Delhi, July 18 (ANI): The Central Government on Saturday filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking its direction to declare the Ambani family's agreement to distribute gas as null and void.

The dispute between Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) of Mukesh Ambani and Reliance Natural Resources Limited (RNRL) of Anil Ambani to distribute the gas available in the Krishna-Godavari Basin was sorted before their mother Kokila Ben.

The Petroleum Ministry asserted in the petition that it had no knowledge of the family agreement and that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed by the two Ambani groups was in contravention of the production-sharing contract (PSC).

A day after filing an affidavit by the centre, the Ministry of Petroleum filed a special leave petition in the dispute of distribution of gas available in the Krishna-Godavari Basin in Andhra Pradesh.

The centre has told the apex court that the government has sovereign ownership over natural gas and its distribution, and RIL was acting only as a contractor on behalf of the government. The centre made it clear in the petition that any agreement between the warring brothers will not be binding upon the government.

The government's petition has named both Mukesh and Anil who have separately filed cross-petitions against the ruling of the Bombay High Court, as the respondents.

The Ministry has also sought a stay on the Bombay High Court judgment asking RIL to supply gas to RNRL after mutually working out the modalities.

The petition also sought clarification related to gas utilization policy and PSC mentioned in the ruling of the Bombay High Court.

Meanwhile, Anil Ambani led RNRL filed its second affidavit before the apex court saying the Petroleum Ministry's affidavit filed on Friday was aimed at expanding its role and file pleadings that was not permissible to an intervener.

RNRL's petition also alleged that the Petroleum Ministry is biased towards the RIL of Mukesh Ambani.(ANI)