Tax Management India. Com
Law and Practice  :  Digital eBook
Research is most exciting & rewarding


  TMI - Tax Management India. Com
Follow us:
  Facebook   Twitter   Linkedin   Telegram

TMI Blog

Home

2020 (5) TMI 102

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... to the petition be sanctioned by this court so as to be binding on the Members, creditors(secured and unsecured), stakeholders and allottees of the respondent company. 2. The case of the petitioner is that the respondent company was allotted an IT/Technology Park Project called Spire Edge Project in Manesar, District Gurugram. The project comprises blocks A to F. It is the case of the respondent company that blocks B, C and D of the respondent company have been handed over to the respective allottees as occupation certificate of these blocks were received. Lease deeds have also been registered for some of the allottees. As far as block A is concerned, it is stated that the Scheme envisages shifting of the allottees to blocks B, C and D by allotting them areas which are unsold subject to the allottees making payments. Another project of the company is Spire Woods Project which is a residential scheme located in sector 103, Gurugram, Haryana. This project has 12 towers containing 620 dwelling units. 3. A perusal of the Scheme filed by the petitioner shows that it seeks three-fold objects, namely, revival of the company, construction of the Spire Edge Project and Constructio .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... s B, C and D of Spire Edge Project would also be held alongwith the other meetings. Consequential orders were passed by the Division Bench. 5. In terms of the orders of this court dated 16.10.2018, 14.11.2018 and of the Division Bench dated 11.12.2018 meetings have been held on different dates i.e. 23.12.2018, 16.12.2018, 6.1.2019, 13.1.2019 and 14.1.2019. Notices were also advertised in Business Standard (English edition and Hindi edition). The respective chairpersons of the meetings have filed their reports. The result of the voting of the scheme that took place is as follows:- Synopsis of Court Convened Meeting for Revival of A.N. Buildwell Pvt. Ltd. Synopsis of Spire EDGE Project Block A (Spire Edge Project)-06.01.2019 Particulars In number Percentage(based on the numbers of allottees) Total No. of Allottees 34 100 Total No. of Allotees/Proxy Appeared 24 71 Total Votes 24 .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... 0 0 Total Valid Votes Cast in favour of the Scheme Without Modification 29 81 With Modification 6 17 Total FOR (with or without Modifications) 35 97 Total Valid Votes Cast Against the Proposed Scheme 1 3 Block E (Spire Edge Project)-06.01.2019 Particulars In number Percentage(based on the number of allottees) Total No. of Allottees 152 100 Total No. of Allotees/Proxy Appeared 103 68 Total Votes 103 Valid Votes 102 100 Invalid Votes 1 Total Valid Votes Cast in favour of the Scheme Without Modification 97 95 .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... Unsecured Creditors Particulars In number Percentage(based on the number of Allottees) Total No. of Unsecured Creditors or Respondent Company 171 100 Total No. of Unsecured Creditors/Proxy Appeared 19 11 Total Votes 19 100 Valid Votes 18 100 Invalid Votes 1 - Votes cast in favour of the Scheme 18 100 Total Valid Votes Cast Against the Proposed Scheme 0 0 6. What follows from the above result is that with the necessary modifications each of the category of creditors have passed the Scheme with modifications with a majority of more than 75%. In nutshell, learned counsel states the result as follows:- (a) Block A (Spire Edge Project) 100% approval (b) Blocks B,C and D, (Spire Edge Project) with modification 82% (c) Furnished Office .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... ision Bench of this court in case of RBI vs. C.R.B. Capital Markets Ltd., 195(2012) DLT 204. It is pleaded that the Scheme prohibits the objector to pursue her complaint under Section 138 of the NI Act and her FIR No. 114/2016 registered in PS Sarita Vihar against the ex-management of the Company. It is further pleaded that the revival plan seeks directions against the statutory bodies like Income Tax Department, Excise and Taxation Department, etc. which is wholly illegal. (ii) Vijay Shankar Pandey The aforesaid objector is said to be an allottee of a residential unit of the respondent in the Spire Woods Project. He has filed a criminal complaint on 30.05.2015 against the respondent company for cheating, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust. This complaint has been clubbed with FIR No. 114/2016 filed with PS Sarita Vihar. It is claimed that the revival scheme is against public policy, unconscionable and prejudicial to the interest of the allottees of the Spire Woods Project. The prejudicial terms include settlement of FIRs, criminal complaints, lack of particulars regarding the identity of the new investor in the respondent and the manner in which and the terms on .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... enhancement cost to the respondent Company. However, the same was not deposited by the petitioners with the authority. Most of the investors participated in the process of voting, casted their votes in favour of the scheme subject to modifications as were listed out in the typed sheet of paper attached to the respective voting slips. It was expected that the petitioners would call for a meeting with the representatives of the investors for an in-depth discussion and negotiation but nothing of that sought was done. (iv) Spire Edge Maintenance Lease Facilitation Pvt. Ltd. (SELFC) SELFC has filed objections for and on behalf of the allottees/investors of Block B, C and D in the Spire Edge Project. Majority of the shareholding in SELFC is held by the said investors in accordance with the Builder Buyer Agreements executed by the respondent Company. Reliance is placed on the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case Meghal Homes (P) Ltd. Vs. Shree Niwas Girni K.K. Samiti and Ors., (2007) 7 SCC 753. Essentially the objections are a claim for better terms than what the scheme proposes. It is pleaded that Technology Upgradation Charges/WTC should be refunded back to the allott .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... the Supreme Court in the case of J.I.K. Industries Ltd. Ors. vs. Amarlala V. Jumani Anr., (supra) where the Supreme Court held as follows:- 19. In the instant appeal in most of the cases the offence under the NI Act has been committed prior to the scheme. Therefore, the offence which has already been committed prior to the scheme does not get automatically compounded only as a result of the said scheme. Therefore, even by relying on the ratio of the aforesaid judgment in J.K. (Bombay) (P) Ltd. [AIR 1970 SC 1041] , this Court cannot accept the appellant's contention that the scheme under Section 391 of the Companies Act will have the effect of automatically compounding the offence under the NI Act. 17. Similarly, the Division Bench of this court in the case of Krishna Texport Industries Ltd. vs. DCM Ltd.(supra) held as follows:- 24. It cannot be lost sight of that the aforesaid provisions take colour from the same intent and in a similar situation. The proceedings arose on account of the failure of the company to meet its financial commitments. Thus if winding proceedings are pending, the civil proceedings can be put in abeyance for the time being to give som .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... ce under applicable laws in view of the fact that Company could not complete the statutory compliances as mentioned due to various reasons as mentioned in Scheme, including but not limited to registration under RERA, GST, VAT, Service Tax and Income Tax. 15.6. The Income-Tax Department be directed to stay the demands and vacate the ex-parte orders and to condone the delay and allow the Company to file appeals, revision applications and any other proceedings before the appropriate authorities and or court. 15.7. All the cases, civil as well as criminal, filed against the Company, its ex-Directors Officers and the Original Shareholders to be vacated or stayed sine-die. Any other proceedings filed in any Court in India including consumer forums by any person, company and or institutions including public interest litigation be vacated or stayed sine-die. Hence, there is an attempt in the scheme to try and seek waiver of the criminal proceedings. To that extent the aforesaid clauses of the scheme would accordingly not be approved. However, once the scheme is implemented and the concerned creditor receives his share as per the scheme, appropriate consequences would foll .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... hat the majority decision of the class of voters concerned is just and fair to the class as a whole so as to legitimately bind even the dissenting members of that class. 4. That all necessary material indicated by Section 393(1)(a) is placed before the voters at the meetings concerned as contemplated by Section 391 sub-section (1). 5. That all the requisite material contemplated by the proviso of sub-section (2) of Section 391 of the Act is placed before the Court by the applicant concerned seeking sanction for such a scheme and the Court gets satisfied about the same. 6. That the proposed scheme of compromise and arrangement is not found to be violative of any provision of law and is not contrary to public policy. For ascertaining the real purpose underlying the scheme with a view to be satisfied on this aspect, the Court, if necessary, can pierce the veil of apparent corporate purpose underlying the scheme and can judiciously x-ray the same. 7. That the Company Court has also to satisfy itself that members or class of members or creditors or class of creditors, as the case may be, were acting bona fide and in good faith and were not coercing the minority in order to p .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... efore the ultimate step is taken or before the assets are disposed of, to accept a scheme or proposal for revival of the Company. In that context, the court has necessarily to see whether the scheme contemplates revival of the business of the company, makes provisions for paying off creditors or for satisfying their claims as agreed to by them and for meeting the liability of the workers in terms of Section 529 and Section 529-A of the Act. Of course, the court has to see to the bona fides of the scheme and to ensure that what is put forward is not a ruse to dispose of the assets of the company in liquidation. 21. Similarly, in Modiluft Limited vs. S.K.Modi, 2005 (123) DLT 413, a co-ordinate Bench of this court held as follows:- 40. I do not find that the scheme is inherently incapable of performance and unworkable. I would take note of some of the case law cited at the Bar, which would throw light on the approach to be adopted in such cases. 41. Dealing with such aspects, the Gujarat High Court (speaking through D.A. Desai, J. as His Lordship then was) and considering the matter in all its length and breadth in re. Maneckchowk and Ahmedabad Manufacturing Co. Ltd. report .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... . There is no merit in the aforenoted objections and the same are dismissed. 23. However, the scheme is approved subject to the following:- (a) Mr. Justice S. P. Garg (Rtd.) (Mobile No. 9910384627) is appointed as the Court Appointed Commissioner to supervise implementation of the Scheme. The Propounders would be entitled to implement the Scheme, as above, under supervision of the Court Appointed Commissioner. (ii) The Court Appointed Commissioner will ensure that the tasks as stipulated in the Scheme are completed expeditiously in a time bound manner. The OL will permit the promoters to implement the Scheme, as stated above, under the supervision of the Court Appointed Commissioner. (iii) The propounders of the Scheme will open a separate escrow account where all receipts of any form including sums payable by the propounders under the scheme and revenues received pursuant to the revival scheme by the company would be deposited. The escrow account would be operated for expenses incurred under the supervision of the Court Appointed Commissioner. (iv) The Court Appointed Commissioner is empowered to pass any directions or orders to the promoters for the purpose of impl .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

 

 

 

 

Quick Updates:Latest Updates