Caught off guard over the publication of the International Herald Tribune in India, the Union government on Friday dubbed it as "complete violation" of existing guidelines but the paper's editor M J Akbar contested it.

Following a flurry of meetings initiated by Information and Broadcasting Minister S Jaipal Reddy, official sources said the government was not approached about the publication from Hyderabad and there was "enough case" to stop it.

Herald Tribune gets an Indian avatar

The sources said the government would be writing to the Indian publisher -- Midram Publication Private Limited -- and International Herald Tribune, which is part of the New York Times Group, immediately about the "violation" of rules.

When contacted, Akbar told PTI: "There is no violation of any law. We are an Indian company and had applied to the Registrar of Newspapers of India for registration of the title.

"If it was unacceptable then why did RNI gave us the clearance," he quipped.

After summoning top RNI officials in this connection, I&B ministry officials said an internal inquiry would be instituted to find out how the title clearance was given. They claimed the ministry was not informed about it.