Vodafone International has filed a petition in the Supreme Court to block penal action initiated by the Income Tax
authorities on the contested $2.5-billion tax bill relating to its 2007 acquisition of a controlling stake in the erstwhile Hutchison-Essar. Vodafone spokesperson Simon Gordon said: “the penalty can be up to 100% on tax (not interest) but only if tax is found to be due, which we don’t believe it is.”