NEW DELHI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) has passed an interim order, restraining MSM Discovery from representing itself as an agent for Viacom18 to third parties.

The bench headed by chairperson SB Sinha with members GD Gaiha and PK Rastogi, who reserved orders on 22 July, said the prima facie order was only by way of interim relief.

The order amounts to restraining MSM Discovery from distributing Colors and other channels of Viacom18 till further orders.
  
Viacom18 in its petition against MSM Discovery distribution bouquet had alleged material breaches, misrepresentation and under-reporting of subscriber base.  
 
The case has arisen out of a dispute following the decision by Viacom18 to pull out its four channels – Colors, MTV, Nick and Vh1 - before the expiry of a three-year contract which had come into effect from 1 April 2009. Viacom18 has decided to shift its channels to Sun18, a newly formed joint venture between Sun Network and Network18.