India’s Supreme Court has ruled that Vodafone isn’t liable to pay taxes on its acquisition of Hutchison Essar in 2007. The country’s tax authorities had claimed a total of around £2.8 billion was due in taxes and penalties.

This appeal in the Supreme Court followed a High Court defeat for Vodafone in 2010.

Frank Meehan is stepping down from his role as CEO of Hutchison Whampoa-owned INQ Mobile.

He’ll now be working with other technology businesses owned by Li Ka-shing, the chairman of Hutchison Whampoa. Mr Meehan is on the board of Spotify, TOM, TOUT and Trapit.

Hutchison Whampoa has reported half-year results that show a 26% increase in total revenue to over HK$ 187.3 billion (£14.7 billion).

The company's 3 Group - which includes Three UK - saw worldwide revenue grow by 12% in local currencies (and 23%, thanks to the Hong Kong dollar exchange rate). Its registered 3G customer base increased by 3% to over 30.2 million customers, including over 6.1 million mobile broadband customers.

Hutchison Whampoa, the parent company of Three UK, has published its results for 2010.

Total revenue for the business was up 8% to almost HK$326 billion (around £26 billion), with the 3 Group reporting its first-ever positive earnings. It now has over 29.6 million 3G customers worldwide.

India's Supreme Court has set 25th October as the next hearing for Vodafone's tax appeal. Vodafone could owe the Indian government more than 120 billion rupees (around £1.7 billion) following a court ruling earlier this month, although the company insists nothing is due. The case centres on Vodafone's 2007 purchase of Hutchison's Indian business, which saw Netherlands-based Vodafone International acquiring a stake in Hong Kong-based Hutchison; the stake was owned by a company in the Cayman Islands. Mumbai's High Court says Capital Gains Tax is payable and should have been collected by Vodafone.