Indian tax office gets jurisdiction in dispute with Vodafone

London: Vodafone Group says Indian tax officials have a won a ruling affirming jurisdiction in a claim for taxes allegedly owed by the mobile phone company.

Vodafone said on Tuesday that it is confident that it does not owe any tax, and that it has secured a right of appeal to the High Court in Mumbai in the event of an adverse decision by tax authorities.

The Indian office asserts that Vodafone owes $2 billion in tax on its purchase of Hutchison Essar in 2007.

Vodafone shares were down 1.1 per cent at 136.6 pence on the London Stock Exchange.