Goa Brewcrafts Private Limited
- CitationRBI Compounding Order CA No. MUM951/2019
Ratio decidendi
The rule this decision rests on
The Compounding Authority holds that a contravention of Para 9(1)(A) of FEMA 20, consisting of delayed reporting to the Reserve Bank of receipt of foreign inward remittance towards subscription to equity, is compoundable under section 15(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 where the applicant admits the contravention, has deposited the late submission fee under Regulation 13.2 of FEMA 20R/2017-RB, and declares the particulars true and the absence of pending enquiry or appeal, such that the delay is excluded from the compounding computation. The Compounding Authority holds that a contravention of Para 9(1)(B) of FEMA 20, consisting of delayed filing of Form FC-GPR after issue of shares to a person resident outside India, is compoundable under section 15(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 on the same conditions, with the late submission fee already paid excluding that delay from the compounding computation. The Compounding Authority holds that, in fixing the compounding amount for admitted contraventions, a lenient view may be taken having regard to the relevant facts and circumstances of the case, with the amount fixed under the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000, and that the compounding order is without prejudice to any action if the applicant's declarations are later found false or incorrect and does not bar proceedings for other contraventions.
Written by Miss Lucy from the judgment below, not taken from a headnote.
Judgment
As delivered
In the Reserve Bank of India Foreign Exchange Department Mumbai Regional Office Main Building, 3rd floor Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Fort Mumbai 400 001 Compounding Authority Shri Aviral Jain Chief General Manager November 27, 2019 CA No.MUM951/2019 In the matter of M/s Goa Brewcrafts Pvt Ltd F3, Chivdilas, Anandapts, St. Inez, PO Caranzalem, Tiswadi, Goa 403 002 (Applicant) In exercise of the powers conferred under section 15(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 and the Regulations/Rules/Notifications/Orders made thereunder, I pass the following Order 1 The applicant has filed the compounding application dated June 18, 2019, received at the Reserve Bank on August 27, 2019, for compounding of contravention/s of the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (the FEMA) and the regulations issued thereunder. The contravention/s sought to be compounded are in respect of the following (Regulations/ paras under Schedule 1 to Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident outside India) Regulations 2000, notified vide Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB dated May 3, 2000 and as amended from time to time (hereinafter referred to as FEMA 20): (i) Para 9 (1) (A) of FEMA 20: Delay in reporting receipt of foreign inward remittance towards subscription to equity (ii) Para 9 (1) (B) of FEMA 20: Delay in filing Form FC GPR to Reserve Bank after issue of shares to person resident outside India
FED, MRO, CEFA, M/s Goa Brewcrafts Pvt Ltd, CA No: MUM 951/2019
2 Brief details of the applicant company are as follows: Date of Incorporation July 06, 2016 Its main activities are: Beer made from Malt 3 The applicant received foreign inward remittances from non-resident investors towards equity shares / compulsorily convertible preference shares/ compulsorily convertible debentures and it reported the same to the Reserve Bank on dates as indicated below. Delay in reporting Foreign Direct Investment &/or delay in allotting the shares/ refunding the amount (whereas, "Y" represents delay in number of years, "M" represents delay in number of months and "D" represents delay in number of days, and LSF stands for : Late Submission Fees Sr. Date of Amount received Date of Para 9 (1) A Date of Para 8 No/ inward (in INR) reporting to delay allotment delay LSF remittanc RBI / refund e (DD-MM-YY) (DD-MM-YY) (DD-MM-YY) 1 01-08-17 1,87,44,000.00 03-09-17 0Y 0M 2D 02-08-17 0Y 0M 0D 2 01-08-17 1,87,44,000.00 05-09-17 0Y 0M 4D 02-08-17 0Y 0M 0D 3 26-10-17 50,00,000.00 08-05-18 0Y 5M 12D 26-10-17 0Y 0M 0D 4 17-05-18 1,87,56,000.00 31-05-18 0 18-05-18 0Y 0M 0D LSF 1,87,56,000.00 31-08-18 LSF Paid 18-05-18 0Y 0M 0D Paid 17-05-18 6 03-04-19 46,70,541.44 NA 0 30-04-19 0Y 0M 0D 7 02-04-19 46,70,541.44 NA 0 30-04-19 0Y 0M 0D 8 04-04-19 6,58,914.56 NA 0 30-04-19 0Y 0M 0D 9 27-05-19 2,30,62,009.60 NA 0 19-07-19 0Y 0M 0D 10 23-05-19 2,30,62,009.60 NA 0 19-07-19 0Y 0M 0D 11 24-05-19 33,72,092.16 NA 0 19-07-19 0Y 0M 0D 12 10-07-19 49,66,250.00 NA 0 19-07-19 0Y 0M 0D 13 19-07-19 3 3,748.72 NA 0 19-07-19 0Y 0M 0D TOTAL 14,44,96,108.00 In terms of Para 9 (1) (A) of FEMA 20, an Indian company issuing equity shares/ compulsorily convertible debentures/compulsorily convertible preference shares in accordance with these Regulations should report to the Reserve Bank of India as per the prescribed procedure not later than 30 days from the date of receipt of the amount of consideration.
However the applicant company reported receipt of remittances to the Reserve Bank of India on dates indicated above in 3 out of 13 total remittances with a delay ranging from 0Y 0M 2D to 0Y 5M 12D. In case of the remittance/s amounting to Rs. 1,87,56,000 (Rupees One Crore Eighty Seven Lakh Fifty Six Thousand and Zero Paise Only) indicated in the above table as "LSF Paid", they were also reported with a delay. In terms of Regulation 13.2 of FEMA 20R/2017-RB, the person/ entity responsible for filing the reports stipulated in Regulation 13.1 shall be liable for payment of late submission fee, as may be decided by the Reserve Bank, in consultation with the Central Government, for any delays in reporting. Since the applicant has already deposited the LSF amount, this delay has not been taken into consideration for computing the amount for compounding the contraventions.
FED, MRO, CEFA, M/s Goa Brewcrafts Pvt Ltd, CA No: MUM 951/2019
4 The company allotted equity shares/compulsorily convertible preference shares/compulsorily convertible debentures and filed FC-GPRs as indicated below: Delay in filing Form FCGPR (whereas, "Y" represents delay in number of years, "M" represents delay in number of months and "D" represents delay in number of days, LSF stands for : Late Submission Fees, IP stands for Issue Price and FV stands for Face Value Sr. Date of Number of IP (FV+ Amount (IP*no Date of Para 9 (1) no/ allotment instruments premium) of shares) reporting (B) delay LSF (DD-MM-YY) (equity+CCPS+C (in INR) (in INR) (DD-MM-YY) CDs) 1 02-08-17 3124 12000.00 3,74,88,000.00 17-10-17 0Y 1M 14D 2 26-10-17 417 12000.00 50,04,000.00 06-02-19 1Y 2M 11D LSF 18-05-18 1563 12000.00 1,87,56,000.00 08-03-19 LSF Paid Paid LSF 18-05-18 1563 12000.00 1,87,56,000.00 28-03-19 LSF Paid Paid 5 30-04-19 516 19379.84 99,99,997.44 21-05-19 0 6 19-07-19 2812 19379.84 5,44,96,110.08 01-08-19 0 TOTAL 14,45,00,108.00 The applicant filed form FC-GPRs as indicated above with a delay ranging from 0Y 1M 14D to 1Y 2M 11D. Whereas, in terms of Para 9(1) (B) of FEMA 20, an Indian company issuing shares in accordance with these Regulations has to submit to RBI a report in Form FC-GPR along with documents prescribed therein within 30 days from the date of issue of shares to Non Resident. In case of the allotment/s amounting to Rs. 3,75,12,000 (Rupees Three Crore Seventy Five Lakh Twelve Thousand and Zero Paise Only) indicated in the above table as "LSF Paid", they were also reported with a delay. In terms of Regulation 13.2 of FEMA 20R/2017-RB, the person/ entity responsible for filing the reports stipulated in Regulation 13.1 shall be liable for payment of late submission fee, as may be decided by the Reserve Bank, in consultation with the Central Government, for any delays in reporting. Since the applicant has already deposited the LSF amount, this delay has not been taken into consideration for computing the amount for compounding the contraventions.
5 The applicant was given an opportunity for personal hearing, for further submission in person and/or for producing documents, if any, in support of the application vide e-mail dated November 14, 2019. The applicant appeared for personal hearing on November 20, 2019, during which Ms Rajeshree Desai, Consultant represented the applicant in the office of the Compounding Authority. The representative of the applicant admitted the contraventions for which compounding has been sought. During the hearing by the Compounding Authority the representative of the applicant submitted that the delay was inadvertant and unintentional. They requested that in view of the foregoing a lenient view may be taken in disposal of the application. The application for compounding is, therefore, being considered on the basis of the averments made in the application as well as other documents and submissions made in this context by the applicant during personal hearing and thereafter.
FED, MRO, CEFA, M/s Goa Brewcrafts Pvt Ltd, CA No: MUM 951/2019
6 I have given my careful consideration to the documents on record and submissions made by the applicant during the personal hearing and thereafter. Accordingly, I hold that the applicant has contravened the following FEMA provisions issued in terms of: (i) Para 9 (1) (A) of FEMA 20, due to the delay in reporting of receipt of foreign inward remittance towards subscription towards shares as detailed above. The contravention relates to total amount of Rs.4,24,88,000 (Rupees Four Crore Twenty Four Lakh Eighty Eight Thousand and Zero Paise Only) and with a delay ranging from minimum 0Y 0M 2D to maximum 0Y 5M 12D approximately. (ii) Para 9 (1) (B) of FEMA 20, due to the delay in submission of Form FC-GPR to the Reserve Bank after issue of shares to persons resident outside India and the contravention relates to total amount of Rs.4,24,92,000 (Rupees Four Crore Twenty Four Lakh Ninety Two Thousand and Zero Paise Only) and with a delay ranging from minimum 0Y 1M 14D to maximum 1Y 2M 11D approximately. 7 It has been declared in the compounding application dated June 18, 2019 that the particulars given by the applicant in the application are true and correct to the best of their/his/her knowledge and belief.
It has also been declared in a declaration attached to the compounding application that the applicant was not under any enquiry/investigation/adjudication by any agency as on the date of the application and has, in this regard, not informed of initiation of any such enquiry/investigation/ adjudication proceedings against it/him/her thereafter. It has further been declared that the applicant has not filed any appeal under section 17 or section 19 of FEMA, 1999. Accordingly, the above contraventions which are being compounded in this Order are subject to the veracity of the above declarations made by the applicant and this order is without prejudice to any other action which may be taken by any authority under the extant laws if the said declarations are subsequently discovered to be false and/or incorrect. 8 In terms of Section 13 of the FEMA, any person contravening any provision of the Act shall be liable to a penalty up to thrice the sum involved in such contravention upon adjudication. However, taking into account the relevant facts and circumstances of the case as stated in the foregoing paragraphs, I am persuaded to take a lenient view on the amount for which the contraventions are to be compounded and I consider that an amount of Rs.48,917 (Rupees Forty Eight Thousand Nine Hundred Seventeen and Zero Paise Only) will meet the ends of justice.
9 Accordingly, I compound the admitted contravention/s namely, the contravention/s of Para 9 (1) (A) of FEMA 20 and Para 9 (1) (B) of FEMA 20, by the applicant, on the facts discussed above in terms of the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000 on payment of an amount of Rs. 48,917 (Rupees Forty Eight Thousand Nine Hundred Seventeen and Zero Paise Only) which shall be deposited by the applicant with the Reserve Bank of India, Foreign Exchange Department, Mumbai Regional Office, Main Building, 3rd floor, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Fort, Mumbai- 400001 by a demand draft drawn in favour of the "Reserve Bank of India" and payable at Mumbai within a period of 15 days from the date of this order. In case of failure to deposit the compounded amount within the above-mentioned period, Rule 10 of the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000 dated May 3, 2000 shall apply.
FED, MRO, CEFA, M/s Goa Brewcrafts Pvt Ltd, CA No: MUM 951/2019
10 The above order is passed only in respect of contraventions of Para 9 (1) (A) of FEMA 20 and Para 9 (1) (B) of FEMA 20 and does not restrict the right of any other authority to proceed against the Company for any other violations/contraventions noticed at any point of time.
11 The application is disposed of accordingly. dated: November 27, 2019 Compounding Authority sd/- (Aviral Jain) Chief General Manager
This page reproduces a public judgment and a summary of it. It is research material, not legal advice, and it is no substitute for advice from an advocate on your own facts.
Research this judgment with Miss Lucy
Ask what it holds, what has followed it, and what it means for your matter — in plain English, with the citations.
Try Miss Lucy free