Cable TV
Bangalore cable tragedy: Officials unclear about third probe
BANGALORE: Karnataka government officials are of the opinion that another inquiry report to probe the circumstances that led to a seven-year old boy’s death is not required, as per media reports.Earlier, Bangalore Electric Supply Company (Bescom) and the chief electrical inspector to the government (CEIG) had submitted their inquiry reports.
On 15 July, Karnataka chief minister Dharam Singh is purported to have ordered a third probe when he visited the boy’s house. According to authorities, it is unclear whether or not he meant another inquiry by principal secretary Ranganath.
As reported earlier, Bescom had initiated a cable cutting frenzy holding a wrongly strung cable TV wire responsible for the tragic event. A compete blackout of TV by the cable operators was averted with CM’s intervention.
A preliminary inquiry initiated by Bescom’s chief engineer (CE) had found BCC responsible for the tragedy, along with the concerned Bescom staff.
Ranganath had obtained the details of the two investigations and a report from the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation (KPTC). Action has been initiated against the four Bescom persons named – an assistant executive engineer, engineer, a junior engineer and a linesman, all of whom have been suspended and are facing an inquiry.
According to reports, 20 August has been fixed as the deadline to complete the comprehensive review of all hazardous cables. Ranganath is to hand over the KPTC’s report to the CM early next week, based on which the CM is expected to pass orders.
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
