Cable TV
Don’t compete with Den Enjoy, Delhi HC restrains two MSOs
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has restrained Omeshwar Singh and UCS Broadband Company from “commencing any business which directly competes with the business” of M/s Den Enjoy Cable Networks Private Limited till the next date of hearing.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru also ‘directed’ Den Enjoy to “take the necessary steps to invoke the Arbitration Clause.”
While issuing notice to the respondents and listed the matter for 11 May 2017, the respondents were asked to file their reply within two weeks, and a rejoinder if any could be filed within a week thereafter.
The Court, in its order of 21 March 2017, also noted that “it appears that Omeshwar Singh is attempting to avoid his contractual obligations by using the corporate façade of UCS Broadband Company for improper purpose.”
However, the Court also said this was only “prima facie view at an ad interim stage, and would not preclude the respondent from raising all contentions which would be considered at a later stage.”
(Earlier, on 11 March 2017, the Court had “dismissed as withdrawn” a petition on this issue after Den Enjoy sought liberty to withdraw, and file a fresh petition.)
Den Enjoy had filed the case against Singh for engaging in competing business in complete disregard of the non-compete terms of the Share Subscription Agreement. It was alleged that Singh, through his company UCS Broadband, not only obtained / applied for Digital Access permission but also approached cable operators of Den Enjoy and broadcasters for content.
Omeshwar Singh is a founder shareholder, and had been Den’s agent from Lucknow. He presently holds 16.33 per cent shareholding in Den Enjoy.
Omeshwar Singh’s counsel Vineet Bhagat had made an appearance as a result of a caveat filed by him through his counsel apprehending such a petition. The Court noted his argument that Section 27 of the Contract Act was clear that pre-compete condition was void and against the law. Bhagat said enforcement of any no-competition clause would amount to creation of a monopoly. He also argued that the agreement between Den Enjoy and the respondents was only related to Lucknow.
Den Enjoy Cable Networks Pvt. Ltd. is a joint venture company (JVC) of Den Networks Ltd. The company is engaged in the business of providing cable television services in Lucknow.
Den Enjoy, in a press release issued later, also said the order had come after its counsel Arun Kathpalia submitted that Singh is a director and one of the major shareholders of the company, and drew attention of the court to the clause 24 (non-compete) of the Share Subscription Agreement reached between the company and shareholders of the company.
However, Singh told indiantelevision.com that he had resigned from UCS Broadband Company on 30 July last year and even sold his shareholding in October 2016.
Singh also claimed that UCS was not using his Lucknow residential premises as its office, though the judge had noted that respondent’s counsel had not disputed this fact in Court. He said that he been living at different premises since April 2012.
Meanwhile, a UCS Broadband official informed indiantelevision.com that it has already obtained a licence to operate in Tanda in District Ambedkar Nagar (Uttar Pradesh) which falls under DAS Phase IV.
Cable TV
Hathway Cable appoints Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as CEO
Leadership change comes as cable TV faces shrinking subscriber base and modest earnings pressure
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has tapped industry veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as chief executive officer, marking a leadership pivot at a time when India’s cable television business is under mounting strain.
Kapoor will take over from Tavinderjit Singh Panesar, who is set to retire in August after a long innings with the company. Panesar, chief executive since 2023, has held multiple leadership roles at Hathway, including his latest stint beginning in 2022.
Kapoor brings more than three decades of experience in media and entertainment. He most recently led distribution at The Walt Disney Company’s Star India business, now part of JioStar. His career spans television distribution and affiliate partnerships, with stints at Sony Pictures Networks India, Discovery Communications and Zee Entertainment.
Panesar, with over three decades in the industry, has worked across strategic planning, distribution and business development in media, broadcasting and manufacturing. His past associations include ESPN Star Sports, Star India, Apollo Tyres and JK Industries.
The transition lands as the cable sector grapples with structural disruption. Traditional operators are losing ground to streaming platforms, while telecom and broadband players tighten the squeeze with bundled offerings.
An EY report estimates India’s pay-TV base could shrink by a further 30 to 40 million households by 2030, taking the total down to 71 to 81 million. The slide follows a loss of nearly 40 million homes between 2018 and 2024, a contraction that has already wiped out more than 37,000 jobs in the local cable operator ecosystem.
Hathway’s numbers reflect the strain. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 93 crore for FY25, down from Rs 99 crore a year earlier. Revenue inched up to Rs 2,040 crore from Rs 1,981 crore. As of December 2025, it had about 4.7 million cable TV subscribers and roughly 1.02 million broadband users.
Kapoor steps in with a familiar brief but a shrinking playbook. In a market where viewers are cutting cords faster than companies can reinvent them, the new chief executive inherits a business fighting to stay plugged in.
