Alok is a dealer in Eyewear, Spectacles and other eye accessories in India for the last 10 years based in Gurgaon. His vision was to transform the way people see and experience the world. He is a frequent traveller and v
CS Professional · Insolvency and Bankruptcy - Law and Practice · PYQS · June 2024
Alok is a dealer in Eyewear, Spectacles and other eye accessories in India for the last 10 years based in Gurgaon. His vision was to transform the way people see and experience the world. He is a frequent traveller and visited many countries to expand his business. Gulshan is one of the cousins of Alok and a resident of South Africa. Alok has a very good relations with his cousin and during his visit to South Africa in 2015 he started a showroom in partnership with his cousin in South Africa. Alok has a very big showroom in India also. He used to import spectacles and other accessories from South Africa. With the increasing demand of more and more spectacles, goggles etc., business is reaching greater heights and he made a huge profit. His business was a growing business going very well. Since there was huge demand, the business went well and profits got multiplied in 3 to 4 years. In the year 2019 some differences developed between both the cousins and Alok decided to quit from the partnership. He was also a director of Padmavat Solutions Private Limited and its associate company. Shekhawat Solutions Private Limited where he used to get the sitting fee for attending the Board Meetings. In India also due to entry of online selling platform and other sales promotion strategies of the competitors, there were lots of changes in the market situation in India and his business started running into losses. He raised loans worth ₹ 10 Crore in the year 2019 to finance the working capital requirement of the business. He managed for another one year (year 2020) to run the business out of the retained earnings of the business. However due to the impact of COVID 19 and other reasons the demand declined rapidly and later on he started making defaults. He defaulted in making payment to his creditors and Insolvency proceedings commenced and a repayment plan was approved. Alok failed to follow the repayment plan and filed for bankruptcy on 1st April, 2022 which was admitted on 10th April, 2022. A Bankruptcy order was passed and Gopal Gupta, an Insolvency Professional was appointed as a Bankruptcy Trustee. Gopal Gupta started investigation of the affairs of the Bankrupt. He observed that on 7th April, 2022, Alok Gupta sold his shop to Kapil Kalra for ₹ 50 Lakh and gifted this amount to his major son. As per Bankruptcy Trustee, he has some doubt that this transaction is not allowed as per Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. The Bankruptcy Trustee further asked Alok to prepare the list of the assets and hand over to the bankruptcy trustee. As per the list of the assets, Alok informed as below: Alok stated that he has been entrusted by his friend Arun to look after his property in Delhi currently valued at ₹ 1 Crore as Arun is staying in UK. Alok has ₹ 50 Lakh in provident fund, pension fund and the gratuity fund of the employees. Alok has a residential flat worth ₹ 2 Crore in his name. He has an antique paintings and silver household utensils and other valuable items worth ₹ 50 Lakh which have not been encumbered. He has also unencumbered insurance policy worth of ₹ 50 Lakh. He has also the father's inherited property now in his name worth ₹ 5 Crore. While bankruptcy proceedings were going on, Alok further decided to start a new business of kids garments by forming a new company in the name of "Kids Paradise Pvt. Ltd." and engage himself in the formation and management of Kids Paradise Pvt Ltd. (Under Incorporation). Based on the above facts, answer the following questions: What is fresh start process and conditions to be fulfilled for applying for fresh start process ?
Answer & Explanation:
Section 80 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 provides that a debtor who is unable to pay his debt and fulfils the below mentioned conditions shall be entitled to make an application for a fresh start for discharge of his qualifying debt. A debtor may either personally or through a Resolution Professional may apply for fresh start process in respect of his qualifying debts to the Adjudicating Authority if he fulfils the following conditions: a) The gross annual income of the debtor does not exceed sixty thousand rupees: b) The aggregate value of the assets of the debtor does not exceed twenty thousand rupees; c) The aggregate value of the qualifying debts does not exceed thirty-five thousand rupees; d) He is not an undischarged bankrupt; e) He does not own a dwelling unit, irrespective of whether it is encumbered or not; f) A fresh start process, insolvency resolution process or bankruptcy process is not subsisting against him; and g) No previous fresh start order under these provisions has been made in relation to him in the preceding twelve months of the date of the application for fresh start. Section 79 (19) defines "qualifying debt" to mean amount due, which includes interest or any other sum due in respect of the amounts owed under any contract, by the debtor for a liquidated sum either immediately or at certain future time and does not include - (a) an excluded debt; (b) a debt to the extent it is secured; and (c) any debt which has been incurred three months prior to the date of the application for fresh start process;
Topics: Fresh Start Process
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