The Maharashtra government, led by Eknath Shinde, has received a legal notice from Swiss company SKAAH GmbH for the alleged non-payment of ₹1.58 crore for hospitality and catering services provided during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. According to a report by PTI, the notice, dated August 28, was directed at the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and several other officials, including the Chief Minister’s office and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
The notice claims that this amount is the remaining balance, as MIDC had already paid ₹3.75 crore for services rendered from January 15-19. SKAAH GmbH has provided proof of its services through submitted bills. MIDC CEO P. Velrasu stated he was unaware of the notice but assured that the agency would verify the invoices and address the matter promptly.
State Industries Minister Uday Samant defended the government's spending, attributing criticisms from opposition parties—specifically the NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT)—to political motivations. He emphasized that a legal response would be formulated to address the notice.
The Swiss company highlighted that despite the delegation exceeding the agreed number of participants, it fulfilled all service requests. The notice also indicated that the delayed payment has negatively affected the company's creditworthiness and financial stability, potentially straining international relations between India and Switzerland. The company urged for a swift resolution to avoid further complications.