Datawind has said that it is disappointed by the inaccurate and negative sensationalist attempts by a section of media related to the company and the Aakash project.  

“While a front-page headline story was run with the title “Sibal ejects DataWind” – but when he said at a press conference that “Datawind will continue to supply Aakash tablet” – unfortunately that coverage didn’t find space in the publication”, said Suneet Singh Tuli, CEO, Datawind

Yesterday, another front page story was run, quoting ‘unnamed sources’ at Quad. DataWind has always been honest and transparent, and is ready to be openly quoted on media queries, he said in a statement.

Tuli said that there have been reports in a section of media about Datawind being served a legal notice for non-payment of dues by its assembly partner Quad Electronics Solutions The assembler further alleges that Datawind could not work with the Government and did not abide by the contract with Quad . The assembler vendor also accuses Datawind of reneging on its promises to customers.

“Datawind’s team internally developed Aakash and subcontracted the assembly of Aakash Tablet to Quad Electronics based on its own design. Therefore, the Intellectual Property Rights of the Tablet belong to Datawind. Quad signed a non-disclosure agreement and a manufacturing services agreement confirming this”, he said.

He clarified that Quad Electronics breached Datawind’s intellectual property, circumvented their relationship with IIT-Rajasthan, signed a direct MoU with them and then sold off their inventory in the open market.  Datawind has since appointed new partners to assemble the tablet.  Datawind would also like to clarify that Quad Electronics has been paid for the units delivered to Datawind, except for the 600 units that remain unpaid by IIT-Rajasthan. DataWind’s counterclaim against Quad exceeds any amount due to them.  There is no further payment due to Quad, contrary to their allegations.  

“The vendor has accused Datawind of not being able to work with the Government. This accusation is baseless. Datawind has full confidence of the Government and is working on the second generation of the tablet.  The Minister has announced in Parliament that DataWind will be supplying 100,000 Aakash-2 tablets through IIT-Bombay”, the statement said.

In response to concern about tardy customer response. Datawind said that their toll-free number is working – but  since it receives almost 40,000 calls per day, there is often a logjam resulting in incomplete calls.  Any person that has made a deposit, is responded to within 48 hours of receipt of payment, and is provided a specific Email address and specific phone number to call for queries – instead of the toll-free number.