Mumbai: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has issued a statement saying that it takes the Securities and Exchange Board of India's (SEBI) interim order against Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) promoters very seriously and will continue to monitor developments that may affect the deal.

The statement was issued after a media report said that Sony is unlikely to pull out of the merger with Zee despite Sebi's fund diversion allegations against Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra and Zee Entertainment Enterprises CEO Punit Goenka.

In the statement, Sony Pictures Entertainment said, "There have been several erroneous press reports recently speculating about the future of ZEEL’s planned merger with SPNI following SEBI’s interim order against Subhash Chandra and Punit Goenka. We take very seriously the SEBI interim order and will continue to monitor developments that may affect the deal."