Aakash maker Datawind accuses ICA of defamation

Datawind, the manufacturers of the low cost Aakash tablet have filed a defamation suit against the India Cellular Association for allegedly issuing statements harming the commercial interests of the company. “We have sent a legal notice to them for spreading false reports against us in the media and in government meetings including places such as the department of IT,” Datawind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli told the Economic Times. [caption id=“attachment_283691” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Datawind is being prickly about Aakash: Reuters”]  [/caption] The Economic Times added that Indian Cellular Association president Pankaj Mohindroo confirmed he has received a legal notice from Datawind. The notice comes after ICA wrote to the ministry of Human Resource Development last year, claiming that big players such as Samsung and Nokia were better positioned to handle the Aakash project. This development is the latest in a series of controversies involving Datawind. Earlier Quad Electronics, the contract manufacturer of Aakash, said it had not been paid for its work by Datawind. Quad alleged that the letter of credit issued by Datawind was dishonoured and it has not received any payment for its work. According to Quad, Datawind has to pay for 8,000 units supplied and additional inventory already procured. Datawind, it said, has only paid about $60,000 for 1,500 samples that were billed directly to the company and were not part of the LC. And earlier this month, Datawind, came out and accused IIT Rajasthan of ruining the Aakash project and trying to defame the company.