ONGC accuses GE of spying

By siliconindia   |   Monday, 13 September 2004, 19:30 IST
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MUMBAI: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has filed a criminal complaint against GE Shipping in a city court, alleging that the latter had illegally obtained internal documents from ONGC . GE Shipping had produced some internal memos and confidential board notes of ONGC in Bombay High Court during a previous court hearing. Though legal sources said the court has issued summons, a GE Shipping spokesperson said they had not been served with any notice. “Hence, we are unable to comment on the same,” he said. Interestingly, on Wednesday, GE Shipping withdrew an appeal against ONGC in the Supreme Court as a “goodwill gesture” in a case pertaining to an international tender for offshore vessels. ONGC’s fresh complaint refers to the same case, during its hearing in the Bombay High Court. Sources said despite GE Shipping’s gesture, ONGC is not relenting. “As far as the ONGC matter is concerned, we had a matter in the Supreme Court in connection with award of tender by ONGC. In order to maintain cordial relations with ONGC, the matter has been withdrawn,” said the GE Shipping official. As per the SC order, GE Shipping sought to withdraw the appeal and filed a letter on September 7. “Further submits that the question of law may be left open to be decided in an appropriate case. We take the above-said letter on record and dismiss the appeal as withdrawn as prayed,” said the order 2342 of ’04. Last April, ONGC, the country’s largest oil exploring company; GE Shipping, India’s largest private shipping company and US-based offshore services provider Tidewater Marine International, had locked themselves in a legal battle over chartering a foreign flag vessel owned by the US company. After the Bombay High Court ruled in favour of ONGC, GE Shipping moved the SC by way of a special leave petition. During the hearing of the case in the High Court, GE Shipping had allegedly “managed” to produce in the court some internal papers of ONGC, which the lawyers of the oil explorer found objectionable. But the High Court did not take up the matter. However, ONGC took the issue seriously and moved the court in Bandra. ONGC engages the services of various types of offshore vessels for supplying goods and materials to its offshore platforms. Before entering into contracts with shipping companies, ONGC occasionally invites bids in response to global tenders After floating a tender for hiring ten vessels under six categories in May ’03, ONGC had offered a contract to Tidewater Marine International on a nomination basis. GE Shipping had raised objections, and subsequently moved the High Court.

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