OTTAWA – It appears to be the end of the line for illegal broadcaster Radio India after the Federal Court of Appeal refused to hear its appeal of the CRTC’s decision that it stop broadcasting programing into Canada via over-the-air transmitters located in the United States.
In a two line order issued late last week, the Court dismissed Radio India’s application to appeal Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2014-587 and Broadcasting Order CRTC 2014-588 and added that “no costs will be awarded”.
As Cartt.ca reported, the CRTC held a show cause hearing last October that determined that Radio India was producing programming for broadcast on the radio at its studios in Surrey, BC, despite not holding a Canadian broadcasting licence. That programming, which was supported by Canadian advertisers, was reaching into Canada through an agreement with Way Broadcasting Operating LLC, the licensee of KVRI 1600 AM in Blaine, Washington.
The Commission issued a mandatory order a month later that Radio India cease broadcasting over the air and prohibited it from carrying on a broadcasting undertaking at Surrey or anywhere else in Canada, except in compliance with the Broadcasting Act.
Radio India Ltd. is owned and controlled by Baljit Kaur Bains and managed by her brother Maninder Singh Gill.
