India, May 15 -- End Of The OYO-Zostel Conflict?

As OYO eyes a third shot at going public, it has cleared a major hurdle that has shadowed its IPO ambitions for years. In a significant legal win, the Delhi High Court has ruled in favour of the Ritesh Agarwal-led company in its long-standing dispute with rival Zostel - potentially bringing closure to a conflict that has dragged on for years.

The Root Cause: The issue traces back to 2015, when both companies entered into an agreement to merge their businesses. Even after a year of discussions, the merger failed to materialise. While this itself is not uncommon, the particulars of the deal put both companies at loggerheads.

The Contradictions: Zostel claimed the initial term sheet was a b...