The court decision comes three days after state-owned oil giant Rosneft announced that it was entering into negotiations with BP to buy its 50 percent stake in TNK-BP, which has an estimated price tag of $20 billion. The decision of Rosneft, Russia's biggest oil company, to look at taking a stake in TNK-BP appeared to put the only other bidder, AAR Consortium, the investment vehicle of BP's billionaire partners in TNK-BP, on the back foot. Some experts have suggested that AAR is using minority shareholders in TNK-BP to exert pressure on BP in the wake of its failed tie-up with Rosneft. AAR denies the claims.