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Avalon Sports And Media vs Intex Technologies India Ltd

National Company Law Appellate Tribunal23 October 2019

Ratio decidendi

The rule this decision rests on

Where an operational creditor's Section 9 application is met with documents showing a pre-existing dispute regarding the claim, the Adjudicating Authority is entitled to reject the application without examining the merits of the claim, and the existence of such a dispute is itself sufficient ground for rejection.

Written by Miss Lucy from the judgment below, not taken from a headnote.

Judgment

As delivered

NATIONAL COMPANY LAW APPELLATE TRIBUNALNEW DELHICompany Appeal (AT) (Insolvency) No. 1114 of 2019IN THE MATTER OF:

Avalon Sports and Media ...Appellant

Versus

Intex Technologies India Ltd. ...Respondent

Present: For Appellant : Mr. Abhisek Rai, Mr. Kunal Kohli and Mr. Vasudev Vishwkarma, Advocates

ORDER

23.10.2019 The Appellant filed an application under Section 9 of the

'Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (for short, 'the I&B Code') for initiation

of 'Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process' against 'Intex Technologies India

Ltd.' (Corporate Debtor). The Adjudicating Authority (National Company Law

Tribunal, Bench - VI, New Delhi by an Impugned order dated 1th September,

2019 having rejected the Application, present Appeal has been preferred. The

record shows that the Appellant issued Demand Notice under Section 8(1) of the

'I&B Code'. The 'Corporate Debtor' replied on 25th January, 2019 pointing out

that there is 'pre-existence of dispute' of the alleged claim and demanded

payment of Rs.47,68,500/- for the loss of Interest due to delay in payments by

'Oxigen' along with commission already paid to the Appellant.

The Adjudicating Authority noticed that the e-mails were exchanged

between the parties on 13th February, 2018, 9th October, 2018 and 27th

November, 2018. In the e-mail dated 3rd December, 2018 the 'Corporate Debtor'

disputed the claim on the ground that the payment of the commission is with -2-

the 'terms & conditions' of the Agreement reached between the Appellant and

the 'Corporate Debtor' and the refund sought of the amount has already been

paid.

Learned counsel for the Appellant submits that there is 'Breach of

Agreement'. He further submits that the frivolous disputes were raised and if

there is any 'Breach of Agreement' which was raised between the 'Corporate

Debtor' and the third party and not with the Appellant, those are the 'Issues'

which cannot be decided by an Adjudicating Authority in a petition under

Section 9 of the 'I&B Code'.

For the said reason, if documents have been placed showing that there is

a 'pre-existence of dispute' with regard to the alleged claim, the Adjudicating

Authority without going into the merit of the case, had rightly rejected the

application under Section 9 on the ground that there is 'pre-existence of dispute'.

We find no merit in this Appeal and the same is accordingly dismissed. No

costs.

[Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya] Chairperson

[Justice Venugopal M.] Member (Judicial)

[Justice Jarat Kumar Jain] Member (Judicial) /ns/sk

Company Appeal (AT) (Insolvency) No. 1114 of 2019

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