MAM
IOA ropes in Legal Experts to analyse the Internet legal framework
MUMBAI: . The Internet & Online Association, a not-for-profit organisation registered under the Societies Act, 1896 has enlisted the help of top legal experts to ascertain the legal matrix within which players in the online and mobile industry operate.
IOA president Preeti Desai says, “The arrest of Avnish Bajaj despite the full cooperation extended to the police by him and other Baazee officials was a drastic step and has shocked the e-community, nationally and internationally. The criticism has been pungent since the law suffers from the inadequacies of uncertainty that resulted in the arrest and detention of a cooperative professional who was not directly involved in the wrongdoing. An example of the vacuous nature of the statutory provision under which Avnish Bajaj has been arrested is that the ‘due diligence’ which he allegedly has not undertaken is not defined in the law – even though Baazee.com claims to have taken the listing down of its own accord based on its due diligence and before the Police started any investigation. We at the IOA will convene a cohesive dialogue and build informed consensus amongst all stakeholders to facilitate the amendment of applicable laws and assist policymakers and civil society in achieving a better understanding of the legal environment needed for the facilitation of the development of the Internet and to drive economic growth”.
In the light of the current Baazee case, IOA though it was imperative that they engage in consultations with top legal experts on the vital aspect of a legal framework for facilitating the growth of the Internet.
The legal experts include Shardul Shroff and his team at Amarchand Mangaldas as the legal consultants as well as Amit Desai to advise IOA on legal issues.
Amarchand Mangaldas will:
1). Prepare a memorandum analyzing the legal framework related to
a. The online and mobile publication of obscene and/or seditious material
b. The commission of fraud on the Internet
c. Suggest suitable amendments to the same.
2) Prepare a paper which will help IOA in their evangelizing efforts towards members pertaining to liabilities under IT Act 2000.
3) Conduct workshops along with IOA on these vital issues.
The sub-committee will review the memorandum and propose various workshops to the IT & Communication, Home and Law Ministry’s.
The proposed amendments in the memorandum are as follows –
Mangaldas will analyse the liabilities of various players in the online publishing and advertising industry, ecommerce and the mobile content generation and transmission industry with specific references to laws governing pornography, sedition and fraud. On the basis of this analysis Mangaldas will prepare suitable submissions on behalf of the IOA, to be submitted to Government of India highlighting any deficiencies that may be present in the applicable laws and suggesting suitable measures to overcome any deficiency in the laws.
Evangelising efforts towards members on liability issues, the whitepaper for IOA members will discuss the liabilities of various players in the online publishing and advertising industry, ecommerce and the mobile content generation and transmission industry with specific references to laws governing pornography, sedition and fraud – with a specific section on click wrap licenses, dealing both with its enforceability under Indian Law as well as broad terms of use.
Also on the anvil are workshops for law enforcers organised by the IOA. IOC believes that this will be a crucial factor to initiate a process where along with law-enforcers, they help them understand in entirety how the online market functions so that they may be able to identify the role of the various players on the Internet and within the mobile industry, so as to distinguish between originators and intermediaries of potentially harmful content and evaluate the culpability of each link in the chain.
Amarchand Mangaldas managing partner Shardul Shroff says, “The absence of clarity is a deterrent to the business environment. The cyber world and cyberspace has created a boundary-less world and this necessitates an universalisation and commonality of standards and legal concepts to be applied so that India does not become an isolated island excluded from e-commerce activity. Legal uncertainty is detrimental to the comparative advantage of India, as a leader in the world of Information Technology and such a disadvantage ought to be urgently neutralized. The attempt of the Subcommittee on Legal Issues is directed to this end.”
Counsel Amit Desai adds, “Internet broke down territorial boundaries across the globe. Whilst this created endless business opportunities it also created myriad legal issues. To ensure that there is clarity on liability issues; avoid misuse or abuse of these provisions especially for service providers so that neither the business nor the medium suffers. A second look at the gamut of the Acts and Rules governing this medium is imperative. The Baazee case has brought some of these issues in sharp focus”.
IOA chairman Ramani avers, “The IOA would rightfully need to shoulder responsibility to address all these areas. We are glad to have found the right partner in Shardul and his team. We are driving towards finding the right resolutions through all these concerted efforts over the next few weeks.”
IOA’s activities include evaluating and recommending standards and practices, fielding research to document the effectiveness of the Internet and wireless as interactive mediums and educating the marketing and advertising industry about the use of interactive advertising and e-commerce.
Brands
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail reshuffles top deck; Nikhil Modha to take over as CFO
Phased transition sees Marco Agnolin head OWND!, Nikhil Modha lined up as CFO as company readies next growth leg
MUMBAI: Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail is redrawing its leadership map, lining up a new generation of executives across key roles as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The company has named Suraj Bahirwani as chief executive (designate) of Pantaloons, effective April 1, 2026, with a full transition to the top role slated for October 1, 2026. He will also be designated as senior managerial personnel.
A two-decade veteran of the Aditya Birla Group, Bahirwani joined as a group management trainee in 2002 and has since held a string of leadership roles across retail and manufacturing. His resume spans stints at Aditya Birla Retail, a tenure as chief operating officer of Pantaloons, and most recently, head of global sales at the group’s cellulosic fibres business, where he drove international expansion and strengthened value-added portfolios.
Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Mumbai, a postgraduate management diploma from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and is a chartered accountant. Over the years, he has picked up multiple chairman’s awards, including distinguished achiever, exceptional contributor and accomplished leader.
The transition at Pantaloons will be staged. Incumbent chief executive Sangeeta Tanwani will continue until September 30, 2026, steering the handover before moving into an advisory role to the managing director from October 1, 2026. She is set to retire on January 31, 2027, at which point she will step down as whole-time director and key managerial personnel.
Alongside, the company has brought in Marco Agnolin as chief executive of OWND! and senior managerial personnel, effective April 6, 2026. Agnolin arrives with over three decades of global experience, having held senior roles at Inditex, where he helped expand Zara in Italy, and later served as chief executive of Bershka and Diesel. His track record spans fast fashion, brand turnarounds and youth-focused retail.
On the finance side, Nikhil Modha has been appointed chief financial officer (designate) and senior managerial personnel from April 1, 2026. He will assume full charge as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel from January 1, 2027.
Current chief financial officer Jagdish Bajaj will oversee a phased transition until December 31, 2026, before retiring and stepping down from his roles.
The reshuffle signals a calibrated succession plan rather than a sudden overhaul, with the company staggering exits and appointments to ensure continuity even as it refreshes leadership across verticals.
As Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail juggles legacy brands and new-age formats, the message is clear: steady hands for the present, sharper ones for the future—and no pause in the push for scale.
