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2023 (1) TMI 301 - AT - Insolvency and BankruptcySeeking direction to the Appellant to vacate the premises belonging to the Corporate Debtor in his possession - remedy of Resolution Professional for taking possession from the Appellant, whose lease had come to an end on 31st December, 2021 was only taking proceeding for eviction under MP Accommodation Control Act, 1961 - Whether the Committee of Creditors who have decided to renew the lease in favour of the Appellant till 31st December, 2021 had jurisdiction to issue legal notice for eviction of the Appellant from the premises in question? HELD THAT:- The provisions of Section 18 of IBC empowers the IRP to take control and custody of any asset over which the corporate debtor has ownership rights. When we look into the Section 18(1)(f)(ii), the duty is also to take control and custody of assets that may or may not be in possession of the corporate debtor. For carrying out the duties entrusted to the IRP under Section 18 of the Code and those entrusted on RP under Section 25, the IRP/RP can very well take recourse to Section 60. For effectuating the duties entrusted on the IRP under Section 18 recourse to adjudicating Authority by filing an Application under Section 60(5) is fully permissible. In the present case, we are considering the case where there is no dispute that assets in question is owned by the Corporate Debtor hence by virtue of Section 18(1)(f), Resolution Professional can take steps for taking possession of the assets. To resist the case taken by the RP, Appellant contends that under Section 60(5), no Application can be entertained for eviction of the Appellant and the only remedy available to the RP is to take proceedings under MP Accommodation Control Act, 1961. It is further relevant to notice that present is a case where renewal lease dated 17.09.2021 was executed by the RP himself for a period of 5 months till 31st December, 2021. The present is not a case where lease in favour of the Appellant is subsisting. The lease has come to an end on 31st December, 2021. Further the lease renewal in favour of the Appellant was by RP himself on 17.09.2021 (Fresh Lease) which lease contained specific clause for eviction by 15 days’ notice - When the Corporate Debtor has the ownership rights over the premises which premises can be taken in control by IRP/RP, we are of the view that for eviction of the Appellant especially in event when lease in favour of the Appellant has come to an end, filing a suit is not contemplated in the statutory scheme contained in IBC. The contention of the Appellant that RP has to file a suit for eviction of the Appellant under the MP Accommodation Control Act, 1961 can not be accepted - the Adjudicating Authority has rightly allowed the Application filed by the RP directing the Appellant to vacate from the premises so that Resolution Plan which has been approved can be implemented. The Appeal is dismissed.
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