MAM
Vijay Amritraj’s First Serve inks marketing deal with USVO
MUMBAI: USA Video Interactive Corp. has signed a formal sales and marketing agreement with First Serve International, LLC (“First Serve”) in accordance with the memorandum of understanding that was signed by USVO and First Serve in May.
“We feel that USVO’s MediaSentinel product provides for a very strong deterrence and tracking tool against the menace of piracy and the billions of dollars lost to it,” said First Serve International chairman Vijay Amritraj.
First Serve has begun introducing MediaSentinel to post-production and production companies and studios around the world, especially in the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East where it has exclusive rights to market the digital watermarking tool.
MediaSentinel is an anti-piracy device that embeds “SmartMarks”- invisible forensic information in every frame of video content – providing the proof courts need to convict the individuals who steal the original material, thereby protecting intellectual property rights.
Its use by producers and distributors of film and television content allows unprecedented, secure access to a wide range of distribution markets and methods which otherwise represent a significant piracy risk.
As part of the agreement, First Serve has the rights to market and sell MediaSentinel on an exclusive basis in Asia, including Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.
“For our company to have developed a strong foundation to enter the market through First Serve is a significant milestone for USVO. This allows us access to several regions of the world, which are plagued with piracy issues. With this formal agreement completed, we can move forward together to market MediaSentinel,” said USVO president Edwin Molina.
First Serve has an experienced executive team consisting of Vijay Amritraj, Edward Borgerding and Munish Gupta.
Amritraj is a tennis legend, successful actor, entertainment entrepreneur, television commentator and United Nations messenger of peace. Borgerding spent 20 years with The Walt Disney Company, most recently as executive vice president for Walt Disney International – Asia Pacific with overall responsibility for Disney’s extensive business interests in that region, including all studio divisions, consumer products, ABC Television and theme parks. Gupta, on the other hand is an accomplished former journalist, and over a 19-year period.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
