Telcos cite loss, say money for CDRs justified

Telecom service providers have justified their demand of Rs 34 lakh for access to call data records (CDRs) of July 11, 2006, serial train blasts accused, saying they were suffering huge financial losses.

In an affidavit filed before a special MCOCA court, Tata Teleservices claimed: "The company is incurring losses. The loss in financial year 2012 was Rs 517.55 crore and accumulated losses on March 31, 2012, Rs 3,031.18 crore. If the cost of retrieving CDRs is not allowed to be recovered, the company, which is already incurring huge losses, and ultimately its more than 4.5 lakh shareholders would have to bear this cost."

Vodafone, Loop, Airtel and Tata Teleservices had told the court on February 14 that the accused would have to pay Rs 34 lakh if they wanted access to call records.

Thursday, they cited ailing financial balance sheets. The companies also said since the call data records were seven years old, retrieving would be a laborious task.

Defence opposed the demand for Rs 34 lakh saying the details had not been sought for personal consumption.

"We opposed the application made by these companies citing a Bombay High Court order. The data has been demanded for a judicial process. We only want the accused to get a fair trial," said defence lawyer Abdul Wahab Khan.

The 13 accused have sought production of the CDRs as the information was not annexed to the charge sheet filed in the case by Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS).

While the trial court rejected their application, Bombay High Court directed the MCOCA court in December last year to examine whether the CDRs could be recovered.

The blasts in first-class coaches of suburban trains killed 188 people and injured 817.

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