In a dramatic turn in the Ambani brothers’ gas dispute case, Justice R V Raveendran, a senior Supreme Court judge on Wednesday withdrew from the Bench hearing, saying his daughter is associated with a solicitors firm advising Mukesh Ambani group on other global projects.
A new Bench will be constituted on Thursday to hear the high-voltage case between Mukesh Amabani’s RIL and Anil Ambani’s RNRL relating to pricing of gas from K G Basin.
“I am recusing myself from hearing this matter since I came to know only yesterday that my daughter is associated with a solicitors firm which is advising the Mukesh Ambani group in other matters relating to projects of Global acquisitions,” Justice Raveendran said when the matter came up.
The judge said that he came to know that law firm AZB partners in Bangalore with which his daughter is associated since September 1 this year is advising the Mukesh group in other projects.
The Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan adjourned the matter and decided to hear the matter afresh by constituting another bench on Thursday.
RNRL is seeking gas from RIL at rates 44 per cent lower than Government-approved price. RIL says it cannot honour the commitment made in the 2005 family agreement due to Government’s pricing and gas policies.
