India’s Essar – co-owner of Indian mobile operator Vodafone Essar – and mobile chip giant Qualcomm are among the latest companies to invest in Obopay, the California-based mobile payment company. Obopay announced it has recently closed a fourth round of funding that raised an additional US$20 million and added two new board members, including an Essar representative. Other investors included Alliance Bernstein, ONSET Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Richmond Management and Richmond Global Cellular, Citi, Société Générale and Promethean.

In a statement this morning, Essar said it had led the latest investment round and now has a “strategic stake” in Obopay but did not disclose its exact investment. The investment was made by Essar Communications Holdings Limited (ECHL), the telecom subsidiary of Essar Global Limited. The latest round of funding means Obopay has raised around US$68 million in just over two years. Qualcomm first invested in the company in September 2006. Obopay also has partnership deals in place with Verizon Wireless, Research In Motion, Cellular South and Helio.