NCLAT Upholds Admission Of CIRP Against Pushp Ratna Realty

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), New Dehi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Chairperson), Barun Mitra (Technical Member) and Arun Baroka (Technical Member) have upheld the admission of the application under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 against Pushp Ratna Realty Pvt. Ltd. The Tribunal also upheld the rejection of a settlement proposal made by the Appellant-Jayshree Agnihotri, noting that the Committee of Creditors (CoC), composed of homebuyers,...

S. 13(2) SARFAESI Act Notice Demanding Payment From Guarantor Constitutes Invocation Of Personal Guarantee: NCLAT Delhi

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member), Mr. Arun Baroka (Technical Member) and Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) held that where a Section 13(2) notice explicitly demands payment from the guarantor in terms of the guarantee agreement, it amounts to an invocation of the personal guarantee. Background Facts: M/s Surana Metacast (India) Private Limited (Principal Borrower) had taken loan from state bank of India for...

CoC Not Barred From Holding Second Challenge Process Despite Declaration Of Highest Bidder: NCLAT Delhi

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member), Mr. Arun Baroka (Technical Member) and Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) held that the Committee of Creditors is not barred from holding a Second challenge process for auction of Corporate Debtor's asset, even if a highest bidder has already been declared in the first process.Background Facts: In the corporate insolvency resolution process of Frost International Ltd., the appellant,...

Liberty Granted By NCLAT To File Fresh Application Does Not Permit Appellant To Alter Date Of Default In Application U/S 7 Of IBC: NCLAT

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) New Delhi bench of Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain (Judicial Member), Mr. Naresh Salecha (Technical Member) and Mr. Indevar Pandey (Technical Member) has held that the mere fact that the NCLAT granted the Appellant liberty, and the Appellant subsequently failed to pursue the first appeal against the order dated 10.04.2023 by which the first application under section 7 of the Code was dismissed, does not entitle the Appellant to change the...

Only Resolution Professional Is Empowered To File Application For Avoidance Of Preferential Transactions U/S 43 Of IBC: NCLAT

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member), Mr. Arun Baroka (Technical Member) and Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) has held that an application for avoidance of preferential transactions under Section 43 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code) can be filed only by the Resolution Professional. Hence, the application filed by a single homebuyer was rightly rejected by the Adjudicating Authority. Brief...

Adjudicating Authority Not Justified In Rejecting Plan Based On Valuation Report When No Objections Were Raised By Stakeholders: NCLAT

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member), Mr. Arun Baroka (Technical Member) and Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) has held that when no objection to the valuation conducted of the Corporate Debtor was raised by any stakeholders, it was not open for the Adjudicating Authority to enter into the issue of valuation of assets of the Corporate Debtor and to make the said ground for rejecting the Resolution Plan under...

Execution Of Fresh Personal Guarantee Post-Restructuring Bars Initiation Of Insolvency Process U/S 95 Of IBC Against Personal Guarantor: NCLAT

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member), Mr. Arun Baroka (Technical Member) and Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) has held that when the lenders restructured their debts and extinguished prior security interests by obtaining a fresh personal guarantee from the Personal Guarantor, the Appellant cannot invoke the earlier guarantee to initiate personal insolvency proceedings under section 95 of the Insolvency and...

Gratuity With Interest Qualifies As Operational Debt U/S 5(21) Of IBC: NCLAT

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member) and Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) has held that the claim for gratuity along with interest falls within the definition of operational debt; therefore, an application under Section 9 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code) based on such a claim, is fully maintainable. Brief Facts: An application filed under section 9 of the Code by R-1 Devi Prasad came to be...

NCLT Can Exercise Inherent Powers To Forward A Copy Of Its Order To Relevant Statutory Authorities For Necessary Action: NCLAT

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member), Mr. Arun Baroka (Technical Member) and Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) that the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in exercise of its inherent jurisdiction under Rule 11 of the NCLT Rules, 2016, may direct that a copy of its order be forwarded to relevant statutory authorities for necessary action. It further held that however, any investigation by the Serious Fraud...

Interim Resolution Professional Is Empowered To Take Possession Of Assets Owned By Corporate Debtor: NCLAT

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member), Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) and Mr. Arun Baroka (Technical Member) has held that Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) is well within his authority under Section 18(1)(f) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code) to take possession of assets owned by the Corporate Debtor, and filing an application before the Adjudicating Authority under Section 60(5) of the Code...

Majority's Consideration Of Debt Restructuring With Corporate Debtor Does Not Bar Individual Member From Filing Petition U/S 7 Of IBC: NCLAT

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member) and Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) has held that the fact that a majority of consortium lenders are considering debt restructuring with the Corporate Debtor does not preclude an individual member from independently initiating insolvency proceedings under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code) as per the facility agreement. Brief Facts: The...

State Entitled To Secured Creditor Status Under IBC Due To Statutory Charge Created U/S 48 Of GVAT Act: NCLAT

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) New Delhi bench of Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain (Judicial Member) and Mr. Naresh Salecha (Technical Member) has held that after completion of the assessment of the Corporate Debtor under Gujarat Value Added Tax (GVAT) Act before Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP), a charge in view section 48 of the GVAT Act is created by operation of law on the property of the Corporate Debtor in favour of the State Tax Officer therefore the dues...