The government has issued notices to Aditya Birla group company Idea cellular for Punjab Circle and new operator Etisalat DB for Delhi and Mumbai for Delhi and Mumbai cancelling their 2G licences for missing roll-out obligations.

Earlier, the Telecom Ministry had collected over Rs 300 crore financial penalties from most of the new operators, including Etisalat DB, for not starting services in stipulated time after getting the licences and spectrum.

Etisalat DB’s former Managing Director Shahid Balwa is in judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the 2G spectrum scam of 2008. After his arrest by CBI, Balwa had resigned from his post.