Cable TV
MSO MD, director behind bars for not paying service tax
KOLKATA: Two officials of a Kolkata-based multi service operator (MSO) Kolkata Cable & Broadband Pariseva Ltd were arrested today, as the firm had not paid service tax to the tune of Rs 5.52 crore to the government exchequer.
The arrest of the two officials of Kolkata Cable & Broadband Pariseva Ltd came close on the heels of Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s visit to the city two days ago.
Talking tough, Chidambaram on Tuesday warned the business community here that the government would use provisions of arrests and prosecutions against ‘chronic’ service tax evaders.
KK Jaiswal, service tax commissioner of Kolkata, on Thursday said two persons, namely Bijoy Kumar Agarwal, managing director, and Prasun Kumar Das, director of Kolkata Cable & Broadband Pariseva Ltd, were arrested.
“The firm, engaged in providing service as an MSO, is collecting service charges regularly. Investigation revealed that they have collected service tax around Rs 5.52 crore, but have not deposited the same to the government. This is a cognizable offence and punishable upto seven years of imprisonment. Both the persons have been produced before the Alipore Court,” Jaiswal addressed at a media interaction.
He said the amount of tax was due for the period of 2008-09 to 2012-13.
“Steps are being taken to recover the amount,” Jaiswal added.
Earlier, Chidambaram said the government had arrested 13 people across the country in connection of tax evasions.
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.
