Submission & Approval Of Resolution Plan In Extended Timeline Of Expression Of Interest Cannot Be Questioned By Unsuccessful Resolution Applicant: 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 issuance of fresh Form G is not required in case of modification in Invitation of Expression of Interest (EoI) when there existed a clause in the EoI permitting the Committee of Creditors (CoC) to extend the timeline for submitting the resolution plan. The Tribunal also held that if based...

Approval Of Resolution Plan Containing Clause Which Permits Creditors To Take Recourse Against Guarantees Cannot Be Interfered With: 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 approval of a resolution plan containing a clause that creditors can take appropriate actions in relation to corporate/personal guarantee cannot be interfered with. Brief Facts: State Bank of India filed an insolvency application under section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code) seeking initiation of...

Related Party Status Established Through Agreement Cannot Be Changed By Sending Termination Notice Against Terms Of Agreement: 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 related party status established through an agreement under Section 5(24) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code) cannot be changed by sending a termination notice in contravention of expressed terms of the agreement. Brief Facts: The Corporate Debtor invited the manufacturers to set up their units at...

No Bar On Corporate Debtor From Contesting Application U/S 9 Of IBC Even If No Reply Is Given To Demand Notice Issued U/S 8: 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 just because no reply was given by the Corporate Debtor to the demand notice issued by the Operational Creditor under section 8 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code), the Corporate Debtor cannot be precluded from contesting the application filed under section 9 of the...

Machinery Hypothecated By Corporate Debtor Against Loan Remains Its Asset If No Lease Deed Is Shown By Third Party: 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 the corporate debtor shall remain the owner of the machinery in its possession if no lease deed is shown under which the third party is claiming to be the owner of the machinery therefore the Resolution Professional is entitled to include such machinery in the Information Memorandum. Brief Facts: Bank of India...

Non-Registration Of “Charge” U/S 77 Of Companies Act Does Not Bar Creditor From Being Treated As “Secured Creditor” Under IBC During CIRP: NCLAT

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), New Delhi bench comprising Justice Yogesh Khanna (Judicial Member) and Mr. Arun Baroka (Technical Member) have held that non-registration of “charge” in terms of Section 77 of Companies Act, 2013 is not a sine qua non for a Creditor to be treated as a “Secured Creditor” under section 3(30) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) by the Resolution Professional (RP). The Tribunal observed that the intent of legislature was...

Related Party Can't Assign Debt To Bypass Disqualification From Participating In CoC: NCLAT

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), New Delhi bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan (Chairperson), Barun Mitra (Technical Member) and Arun Baroka (Technical Member) has held that a 'related party' cannot assign its debt only with the object of securing a seat in the Committee of Creditors (CoC), to affect the interest and rights of other creditors. Background Facts: On October 13, 2023, the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process ("CIRP") was initiated against...

Deposit Of Security Under Memorandum Of Understanding Without Intention Of Commercial Effect Of Borrowing Cannot Be Categorised As Financial Debt: 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 security amount deposited under a Memorandum of Understanding ('MoU') without any intention of commercial effect of borrowing and time value of money cannot be categorised as financial debt under section 5(8) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (“Code”). Brief...

Once Resolution Plan Is Approved By CoC & Submitted To Adjudicating Authority For Approval, No Other Plan Can Be Considered By CoC: NCLAT

The NCLAT New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member), Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) and Mr. Arun Baroka (Technical Member) has held that the Resolution Plan even prior to the approval of the Adjudicating Authority is binding inter se the Committee of Creditors (CoC) and the SRA. It also held that the CoC is clearly not entitled to consider any other request for consideration of any Resolution Plan after it has approved the Resolution Plan, which is pending...

Application U/S 7 Of IBC Must Be Decided First When Application U/S 54C Is Filed 14 Days After S.7 Application: NCLAT

The NCLAT New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member) and Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) has held that when an application under section 54C of the IBC is filed after 14 days from the date of the application filed under section 7 of the IBC, the application under section 7 must be decided first as per section 11A(3) of the code. Brief Facts: The corporate debtor defaulted in repaying the loan facilities extended by the consortium of banks comprising SBI, IDBI Bank...

Constitution Of Project Management Committee Under Settlement Agreement Does Not Absolve Corporate Debtor From Repayment Obligations: NCLAT

The NCLAT New Delhi bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (Judicial Member), Mr. Barun Mitra (Technical Member) and Mr. Arun Baroka (Technical Member) has held that any dispute even pending in the arbitration does not in any manner prohibit the financial creditor to take remedy under Section 7 of the code. It also held that the constitution of a Project Management Committee comprising members of financial creditors and corporate debtor in pursuance of a Settlement Agreement does not absolve...

NCLAT Orders NCLT To Decide BCCI's Plea For Settlement And Withdrawal Of CIRP Against Byju's Within One Week

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), Chennai bench comprising Justice (retd) Rakesh Kumar Jain (Judicial Member) and Jatindranath Swain (Technical Member) have directed the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to decide the application filed by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to withdraw the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP) against Byju's within a week's time. The Tribunal disposed of Riju Raveendran's (former Promoter of Byju's) appeal...