Satyam hits back at World Bank, demands apology

Three days after the World Bank decided to ban it for eight years, Satyam Computer Services [Get Quote] today hit back and demanded an apology from the bank for "certain inappropriate statements" made by its representatives.

In a statement issued on Thursday, India's fourth largest software services firm said the World Bank has been requested to immediately "withdraw those statements" for the harm done to the company. The company has demanded that the bank should provide it with a full explanation of the circumstances related to the inappropriate statements.

Satyam also said that it would evaluate all possible options in view of both the bank's inappropriate public statements and its response to the company's requests.

Satyam usually does not comment publicly on matters involving its customer relationships. "However, the inaccuracy and inappropriateness of the World Bank's public statements regarding Satyam has forced us to issue this brief statement in order to set the record straight," the company said.

The World Bank had barred Satyam from doing business with it for eight years, in one of the most severe penalties by a client against a large Indian outsourcing company. The bank said this is because Satyam had provided "improper benefits to bank staff" in exchange for contracts and a "lack of documentation" on invoices.

Since the World Bank decision on December 22, the company's scrip has slumped 16.90 per cent from Rs 162.40 to Rs 134.95.

The industry's reputation for maintaining high standards of corporate governance and data security is critical to ensure that it continues to attract the business of Fortune 500 clients, governments and multilateral agencies such as the World Bank.

The sanctions came at a bad time for Satyam, which is under fire over a failed attempt by its board to pay $1.6 billion for companies controlled by the family of B. Ramalinga Raju, its chairman, without seeking wider shareholder approval.

Since the World Bank decision on December 22, the company's scrip has slumped 16.90 per cent from Rs 162.40 to Rs 134.95. The company has lost 40 per cent of its market value since December 16 when it announced its decision to buy two Maytas companies.

We stand by our statement: World Bank

The World Bank on Thursday rejected Satyam Computers' demand to withdraw a statement by which an eight-year ban was imposed on any business with the IT major.

"The bank stands by its statement issued on its Indian website on December 23," the India spokesperson of the World Bank, Sudip Mazumder, told PTI.

Asked if the bank would apologise as demanded by Satyam, he said any comment if at all had to come from the headquarters in Washington, but the bank stood by its statement.

Pranab slams Pakistan, asks who runs the show

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has slammed the Pakistani government's attitude on cracking down on terror organisations following the Mumbai terror attacks.

Mukherjee also questioned Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's control over the country and described captured Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab's confession as damning.

"One of the terrorist who has been captured alive has given us a chilling account of his handlers. A few months earlier the Indian Embassy in Kabul was the target of a terrorist attack. The impunity with which these attacks are carried out is possible only because of the safety the handlers have been assured," said Mukherjee.

"Mumbai attacks were not accidental or unintended. It was a cold and calculated move. Kasab has given a chilling account," the External Affairs Minister said.

Slammed the Pakistani government, Mukherjee alleged that other forces were pulling the strings in the government.