Bharti Airtel has received a communication from the Department of Telecommunications, Madhya Pradesh, imposing a penalty of ₹2,10,000. The fine pertains to an alleged violation of subscriber verification norms identified during a February 2026 audit of Customer Application Forms. The company has decided not to contest the order and will proceed to pay the levied amount.
Details of the Penalty
On April 30, 2026, Bharti Airtel was issued a notice by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Madhya Pradesh, regarding compliance standards for user onboarding. The authority imposed a financial penalty totaling ₹2,10,000 citing specific instances of non-compliance with established subscriber verification protocols.
Audit Findings and Rationale
The penalty stems from a periodic Customer Application Form (CAF) Audit conducted by the DoT for the month of February 2026. Under the terms of the existing license agreement, the company is mandated to perform rigorous verification of all customers before their enrollment. The audit concluded that certain applications did not align with these verification terms, leading to the regulatory action.
Company Response
In response to the notice, Bharti Airtel has reviewed the findings and confirmed that it will not challenge the decision. The organization has opted to pay the ₹2,10,000 penalty, settling the matter as requested by the authorities. The company maintains that the financial impact of this incident is limited strictly to the amount of the penalty levied.
Source: BSE
