MUMBAI: Care TV, a health channel floated by Tanu Healthcare Ltd, has shut down transmission due to non payment of dues to VSNL. The channel had run up uplinking charges to VSNL following a dispute over a deal for the sale of the Care TV brand.
 

Tanu Healthcare had sold the brand and logo of the channel to Take Care TV, which ran the operations (programming, marketing and distribution of Care TV) for eight months from January 2004. But in August, Tanu served a legal notice, accusing Take Care of not paying for the acquisition of the brand. And in February 2005, the channel was off air as VSNL had not been paid uplink fees over a long period.

Take Care TV is planning to sue Tanu Healthcare for damages worth Rs 100 million, an amount which it claims it had invested towards programming, marketing and distribution of the channel. "Tanu had promised to grant us a no objection certificate for use of uplinking facility for Care TV from VSNL to Thaicom satellite. We were also assured by Tanu promoters to do all acts of support that is required to get clearance from the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry. The payment was to be made by us, subject to these conditions. Nothing was done in this regard. We are moving the court as it is a case of fraud. We want to recover the investments made by us," says Take Care promoter Atul Saraf.
 
 

Tanu Healthcare promoter GK Agrawal, however, dismisses Saraf's charges. "We have initiated legal action as we did not receive the consideration amount. The promoter of Take Care has now launched a health channel," he says.

Saraf has launched 7 Star Care after obtaining permission from the information and broadcasting ministry. The health channel is on the global beam of Thaicom and is uplinked from Bangkok.