NEW DELHI: Star News may get a shot in the arm from a section of the government as the department of company affairs (DCA) feels the application filed by the channel, and the company that manages it, is well within the purview of the law.
Pointing out that there doesn't seem to be much wrong in the application filed for uplinking by Media Content & Communications Services India Pvt Ltd (MCCS), a senior official from the DCA told reporters on the sidelines of a press conference today that the Star News application looks very much within the "purview of the law."
The statement gains significance as DCA is one of the members of an inter-ministerial group (IMG) that is at present examining media issues in the light of the controversy generated by MCCS, which is being alluded to by the government as a shell company fronting for media czar Rupert Murdoch.
Referring to ad man Suhel Seth taking over Kumarmangalam Birla's 25 per cent stake in MCCS the DCA official said, "prima facie there is no violation in the transfer of Birla's share to Suhel Seth." With 30 per cent holding, Seth now has the highest stake in MCCS, above Star India's 26 per cent.
The issue of Star News is weighing heavily on the minds of Star India's senior executives, some of whom spend a lot time these days in Delhi flitting between various government offices.