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2023 (1) TMI 644 - HC - Insolvency and BankruptcyAvoidance of preferential transactions - Right of claim over the amount available - conclusion of corporate insolvency resolution process - RP can continue to act beyond the approval of the Resolution Plan or not - avoidance application can be heard and adjudicated after the approval of the Resolution Plan or not - benefit of an adjudication of the avoidance application after the Resolution Plan. Whether an application for avoidance of a preferential transaction, though filed prior to the Resolution Plan being approved, can be heard and adjudicated by the NCLT, at the instance of the RP, after the approval of the Resolution Plan? Alternate efficacious remedy before the NCLAT - HELD THAT:- The phrase “arising out of” and “in relation to” is to be given wide import. Therefore, the Ld. Single Judge erred in holding the writ petition was maintainable. An appeal ought to have been preferred by Respondent No. 1 before the NCLAT under Section 61 of the IBC and the NCLAT itself was the appropriate forum to decide the controversy posed before the Ld. Single Judge - There is no doubt that IBC is clearly special statute that seeks to be a single source guide for all issues relating the issue of insolvency. Avoidance of certain transactions such as preferential transactions or undervalued transactions are special remedies envisaged only under the IBC to benefit a special creature of the Code itself, i.e., the Committee of Creditors. In view of the purpose and policy behind enactment of the IBC, it is only befitting that any petition or application arising out of the insolvency resolution or liquidation of a corporate person includes proceedings under Part III of the IBC. Effect of Regulation 38(2)(d)of CIRP Regulations, 2016 - HELD THAT:- Respondent No. 1’s reliance upon this clause is misplaced. This clause has no bearing on the dispute in the present matter. Regulation 38 is titled “Mandatory contents of the Resolution Plan”. Regulation 38(2) requires that a resolution plan “shall” contain whatever is listed under sub-clauses (a) to (d). Therefore, the understanding is that Regulation 38(2)(d) necessitates a resolution plan to provide for the manner in which the resolution applicant seeks to deal with a pending avoidance application and the proviso sets a cut-off date for the applicability of the new regulation. Therefore, all resolution plans submitted before the NCLT for approval on or after 14.06.2022 must mandatorily provide for the manner in which they seek to deal with a sub-judice avoidance application and resolution plans submitted for approval before 14.06.2022 are not necessitated to provide for the manner in which the resolution applicant seeks to deal with such claims. Therefore, the provision only deals with what ought to be in resolution plans and cannot be interpreted to extinguish proceedings pertaining avoidable transactions in resolution plans submitted before 14.06.2022 altogether. Avoidance applications can be heard after conclusion of CIRP and benefits derived from adjudication will be appropriated by the creditors or not - HELD THAT:- There is no time limit prescribed for the NCLT to adjudicate these applications. Further, there is no express penalty clause for the RP’s failure to follow the timelines provided in Regulation 35A. When the law itself does not envisage a limit for the NCLT to adjudicate such an application, the Ld. Single Judge could not have imposed such a condition. The provisions pertaining to avoidable transactions is to primarily benefit creditors. While the Corporate Debtor ceases to exist in its erstwhile avatar, in cases where the Resolution Plan is silent on the treatment of any pending applications because such information could not be made available to the applicant, the creditors of the corporate debtor can still be the beneficiaries of the sum or properties that may be recovered from adjudication of an avoidance application. The same is consistent with the scheme of the Code and in line with object sought to be achieved by it which inter-alia includes, increasing the availability of credit within the economy. RP will pursue the avoidance applications since he is only functus officio vis-à-vis CIRP and not avoidance applications - HELD THAT:- Sections 43-51, 66 & 67 of the IBC lays down various transactions that may be avoided by the resolution professional and the actions that can be taken against erstwhile management for fraudulent transactions. These provisions are primarily aimed at swelling the asset pool available for distribution to creditors and preventing unjust enrichment of one party at the expense of other creditors. The scheme of the Act suggests that proceedings for unearthing such transactions are ancillary proceedings and the resolution of the corporate debtor need not be stalled due to pendency of such proceedings. The insolvency professional has to thoroughly examine the transactions which the corporate debtor has undertaken in the period prior to commencement of the period of insolvency proceedings. This is a very cumbersome process and more so in respect of companies whose books and records do not properly document all its past transactions - Since investigation and adjudication of these transactions are time consuming this cannot allow persons who were managing the corporate debtor to escape from reversal of these transactions. The time line given in the IBC cannot be used as a premium by the unscrupulous persons who have forced the corporate entity into insolvency process. The amount that is available after the transactions are avoided cannot go to the kitty of the resolution applicant, in this case the Appellant in LPA No. 37/2021. For the resolution applicant, it was purely a commercial contract, a commercial decision whereunder the resolution applicant knew the ground reality, the assets and the liabilities. The benefit arising out of the adjudication of avoidance applications is not for the corporate debtor in its new avatar since it does not continue as a debtor and has gone through the process of resolution - The purpose of the avoidance application as stated above is to enhance the asset pool available for the decision of creditors who are primarily financial institutions and have taken the haircut in agreeing to accept a much lesser amount than what was due and payable to them. This is public money, and, therefore, the amount that is received if and when transactions are avoided and receive the imprimatur of adjudicating authority must be distributed amongst the committee of creditors in a manner determined by the adjudicating authority. The impugned Judgment is set aside. The NCLT is directed to proceed ahead with the hearing of avoidance application. In accordance with Sections 44 to 51 of the IBC, 2016, the amount which is recovered can be distributed amongst the secure creditors in accordance with law as determined by the NCLT - Appeal disposed off.
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