"One thing they are doing is guaranteeing that they will be a party to our law suits," Yukos spokesman Mike Lake told The Moscow Times commenting on reports of ONGC's plans to pick up to 15 per cent stake in Yuganskneftegaz (yugansk).
He said that "any bid from ONGC would ensure that the Indian company faces the same legal action as other beneficiaries of the Yugansk sale."
"We have said over and over again that anyone who participates in the sale or future sale and purchase of Yukos assets will face legal action as we seek damages," Lake said.
"This is a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek, but we will find out what is behind the curtain and seek damages from those who have participated, facilitated and financed the sale or purchase of Yugansk," he told the paper from Dallas.
ONGC officials had earlier indicated that the company was eyeing 10-15 per cent stake in Yugansk. "ONGC has an agreement with Rosneft (which acquired Yugansk) and it may farm into one of the oil fields of Yugansk," a senior company official said in New Delhi.
Russia's state-owned Rosneft held a Yugansk extraordinary shareholders' meeting in Nefteyugansk on December 31, appointing Vladimir Bulba as the production unit's new general director.
Rosneft said it was paying wages and planning to accelerate drilling programmes to catch up with output plans.