Pine Food Industries Limited ("PFIL") is one of the top FMCG player and listed entity in India. It is a leading manufacturer and marketer of various edible oils, food products and eatables. Its Authorized Capital is ₹ 25
CS Professional · Insolvency - Law and Practice · PYQS · June 2021
Pine Food Industries Limited ("PFIL") is one of the top FMCG player and listed entity in India. It is a leading manufacturer and marketer of various edible oils, food products and eatables. Its Authorized Capital is ₹ 252.00 crore and Paid-up Capital is ₹ 65.00 crore. PFIL has borrowed from various Banks and Financial institutions in India and its borrowings were around ₹ 12,000 Crore. Due to unprecedented crash in global prices of the oil seeds coupled with falling revenues in the oil business gave a crippling blow to PFIL. AB Bank and BC Bank filed an application under section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 ("Code") for initiating the insolvency resolution process against PFIL (hereinafter called as the Corporate Debtor ("CD")). After hearing both the parties, National Company Law Tribunal ("NCLT") admitted the petition filed. The Financial Creditor proposed the name of Kapoor to act as Interim Resolution Professional ("IRP"). An application was filed before NCLT by one of the creditors who made a claim before the Resolution Professional ("RP") stating that the CD owed to pay USD 10.00 crore, based on the Bills of Exchanges, ordering the CD to pay this creditor for the goods supplied by another party. On making of such claim before the RP, it has been rejected by him saying that it is not a Financial Debt as it is an Operational Debt therefore, it could not be considered as Financial Debt as claimed by applicant therein. Vijay Kumar Jain, suspended Director of the CD, filed an application before the NCLT under section 60(5) of the Code seeking an order for setting aside the decision taken by the Committee of Creditors ("CoC") disallowing the erstwhile representatives of the Corporate Debtor including Vijay to participate in the CoC meetings; declare that the CoC meeting is non est; direct the RP to ensure active participation of the applicant in the meetings of CoC; provide all the documents and information to the applicant. RP filed application in NCLT under section 43(1) of the Code for seeking reversal of the amounts that were debited from the current accounts of the CD maintained with XYZ Bank which had been debited by the XYZ Bank before the insolvency commencement date and were utilized against the payment of the dues owed by the CD to a Bank in relation to the Letter of Credit issued by them. The RP submits that the payment of the impugned amount lead to preferential treatment towards XYZ Bank by the CD as such payment has the effect of putting Respondents (i.e. XYZ Bank) in a beneficial position than it would have been in liquidation of the CD in accordance with Section 53 of the Code. It is further stated by the RP that the payments of the impugned amount by the Corporate Debtor were not in the "ordinary course of business" of the CD. NCLT, vide its order, held that the respondent Bank, which had debited an amount aggregating to ₹ 65.98 crores from the current accounts of the Corporate Debtor is directed to reverse the said amount within 30 days from the date of the said order. Since the resolution plan is already submitted and under examination of the CoC without consideration of this amount, therefore the appropriation of this amount will be decided by the CoC. XYZ Bank filed appeal in NCLAT against the order of NCLT. The main plea taken by the Appellant Bank is that the RP before filing an application under Section 43(1) of the Code formed no independent opinion nor afforded an opportunity to the Appellant to explain about the transactions in question. The RP called for Expression of Interest ("EOI"). 28 prospective resolution applicants showed their interest out of which two prospective resolution applicants were rejected as one was disqualified under Section 29 A of the Code (being related party) and the other was a financial investor who did not meet the criteria in the EOI evaluation parameters. The applicant reviewed the four Resolution Plans submitted by the Resolution Applicants and found that only the plans submitted by 2 Resolution Applicants (RA1 and RA2) provided for the corporate insolvency resolution of the Corporate Debtor as a whole and on a going concern basis. The RP filed application under section 30(6) of the Code, seeking order for approval of the resolution plan for the Corporate Debtor submitted by the consortium led by PAL (RA2) as approved by the members of Committee of Creditors (CoC). The said resolution plan was approved by a vote share of 96.85%. RP filed application in NCLT for approval of Resolution Plan. While the said application was pending for consideration before the NCLT, Hon'ble Supreme Court, in Vijay Kumar Jain Vs. Standard Chartered Bank & Ors pronounced the judgment. Under the Judgment of Hon'ble Supreme Court, the approval of the NCLT to the resolution plan of RA2 was interdicted. In compliance of the above-mentioned Hon'ble Supreme Court order, NCLT by its order directed as follows: "Resolution Professional is directed to comply with the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court and submit the report within the stipulated time as provided by the Hon'ble Supreme Court." Thereafter, NCLT approved the Resolution Plan submitted by RA2 and passed orders and directions on the reliefs and concession sought. Since in Para 38, NCLT in their order rejected some of the relief sought, RA2 moved to NCLT for modification of order of NCLT. In the application filed, RA2 had sought substitution of Para 38 of the order of NCLT approving the Resolution Plan of RA2 as under: Existing Para "38. Any relief sought for in the Resolution Plan, where the contract/agreement/ understanding/ proceedings/actions/notice etc is not specifically identified or is for future and contingent liability, is at this moment rejected." Proposed Para "All claims that were either not filed or not admitted during CIRP in terms of the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 shall stand extinguished. Further, claims admitted/ verified by the Resolution Professional shall stand settled and extinguished as per the Resolution Plan." Resolution Plan approved by NCLT of RA2 leads to a 60% haircut for the lenders. RA2 completed its acquisition of PFIL. Referring decided case and relevant provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016 and Rules and Regulations made thereunder, answer the following questions: Explain the decision of NCLAT in the aforesaid case filed by XYZ Bank for Section 43 transactions. Referring relevant provisions, brief against whom the application under Section 43 of the IB Code can be filed and what orders can be passed thereunder.
Answer & Explanation:
In the case of Shailendra Ajmera, R.P. of Ruchi Soya Industries Ltd. vs. ICICI Bank & Others , Resolution Professional filed an application in NCLT, Mumbai Bench under section 43(1) of the Code for seeking reversal of the amounts that were debited from the current accounts of the Corporate Debtor (CD) maintained with ICICI Bank which had been debited by the ICICI Bank before the insolvency commencement date and were utilized against the payment of the dues owed by the CD to the ICICI in relation to the Letter of Credit issued by ICICI. The Applicant submitted that the payment of the impugned amounts lead to preferential treatment towards it by the Corporate Debtor as such payment has the effect of putting Respondents in a beneficial position than it would have been in liquidation of the Corporate Debtor in accordance with Section 53 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). It was further stated by the Resolution Professional that the payments of the impugned amount by the Corporate Debtor were not in the "ordinary course of business" of the Corporate Debtor. The Respondent submitted that the said three transactions, like all other LC transactions involving the Corporate Debtor, were carried out by the Respondent, as per the aforesaid ordinary course of conduct. It was hence submitted by the Respondent that the LC transactions are excluded from the provisions of Section 43 since they were in the "ordinary course of business." NCLT vide its order directed the respondent ICICI which had debited ₹ 27.35 crore, ₹ 10.63 crore and ₹ 28 crore aggregating to ₹ 65.98 crores from the current accounts of the Corporate Debtors to reverse the said amount within 30 days from the date of order. Since the resolution plan is already submitted and under examination of the CoC without consideration of this amount, therefore the appropriation of this amount will be decided by the CoC. The appellant Bank filed appeal in NCLAT against the order. The proceedings were related to transactions were the transactions undertaken by the Appellant pursuant to the 'Working Capital Consortium Agreement' entered into between the Appellant and the 'Corporate Debtor' and the 'Renewal Credit Arrangement' executed between the Appellant and the 'Corporate Debtor' providing overall limit of 'Letter of Credit' facility for the period ending 15th December 2017. The main plea taken by the Appellant Bank is that the 'Resolution Professional' before filing an application under Section 43(1) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) formed no opinion independently nor afforded an opportunity to the Appellant to explain about the transactions in question. NCLAT after hearing both the parties held that the NCLT failed to notice the fact that all the transactions were not made on or after the date of commencement of the 'Corporate insolvency resolution process' and in ordinary course of business and in View of such position set aside the impugned order and allowed the appeal.
Topics: Avoidance Transactions
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