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In the matter of Aakriti Info-Media Pvt. Ltd.

National Company Law Tribunal23 August 2024

Ratio decidendi

The rule this decision rests on

Where a Committee of Creditors has been directed by the Adjudicating Authority, on liquidation, to pay the remuneration and CIRP expenses of the Interim Resolution Professional, and the parties consent to a settled sum in lieu of the amount claimed, that sum is to be borne by the members of the Committee in proportion to their voting shares based on their admitted claims, with any advance already paid by a member at commencement of the CIRP adjusted against that member's share.

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

Judgment

As delivered

IN THE NATIONAL COMPANY LAW TRIBUNAL NEW DELHI BENCH-VI I.A/2401/2023 IN CP(IB)-1899/ND/2019 (Under Section 60(5) of IBC, 2016) IN THE SETTLED MATTER OF - M/S CARGO PLANNERS LTD. ...OPERATIONAL CREDITOR VS M/S AAKRITI INFO-MEIDA PRIVATE LIMITED ...CORPORATE DEBTOR AND IN THE MATTER OF: RAKESH BHATIA Interim Resolution Professional Aakriti Info-Media Private Limited ...APPLICANT/IRP Vs Cargo Planner Limited-In Liquidation …Respondent No 1 (Member of COC) & Govt. of NCT of Delhi …Respondent No 2 Department of Trade and Taxes Ward No 91 Delhi (Member of COC) CORAM: SHRI MAHENDRA KHANDELWAL (HON’BLE MEMBER, JUDICIAL) SHRI RAHUL BHATNAGAR (HON’BLE MEMBER, TECHNICAL) Appearance:- For the Liquidator/Applicant :Adv. Priyanshi Sharma For the Applicant :Adv. Ashutosh Gupta, Adv. Gaurav Rana, Adv. Ajitesh Kumar, Adv. Shresth in IA/2401/2023. For the Respondent/Corporate Debtor :Adv. Akshay Goel, Adv. Harsh Jadon for R-1 in IA/2401/2023.

I.A No. 2401/2023 1 in CP(IB)-1899/2019

ORDER PER: RAHUL BHATNAGAR, MEMBER (TECHNICAL) Date of Pronouncement - 23.08.2024

IA/2401/2023 1. This is an application filed on behalf of the interim Resolution Professional under Section 60(5) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 read with Rule 11 of NCLT Rules, 2016 for seeking directions for payment of CIRP expenses as directed in order dated 09.03.2023 of this Adjudicating Authority in IB-1899/ND/2019 in IA/2401/2023.

2. This Tribunal vide order dated 09.03.2023 in IB-1899/ND/2019 in IA/2401/2023 of the Corporate Debtor and ordered liquidation of the Corporate Debtor namely M/s. Aakriti Info Media Pvt. Ltd. While passing the order for liquidation this Tribunal had also appointed Mr. Ashok Kumar Juneja to act as Liquidator in the matter. In the same order this Tribunal had directed the CoC to pay the remuneration and expenses of the IRP (Mr. Rakesh Bhatia) including that all professional advisors subject to the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and CIRP Resolutions, 2016.

3. It is observed that the CoC consisted of two Members i.e. Cargo Planners Ltd. and Department of Trade & Taxes NCT of Delhi. The respective voting share of the two Members was 24.17% & 75.83% (on the basis of admitted claim). In respect of this application for payment of pending fees and CIRP cost incurred by the IRP, notice was sent to the Members of the CoC for their appearance and reply. However, the Department of Trade & Taxes NCT of Delhi did not appear in spite of the proper service and they were set ex parte I.A No. 2401/2023 2 in CP(IB)-1899/2019 vide order dated 19.07.2024. The counsel for the Financial Creditor i.e Cargo Planners Ltd. has appeared on the various dates.

4. On 21.08.2024, hearing was conducted in the presence of the Counsel for Petitioner i.e. IRP and the member of CoC (Cargo Planners Ltd.). The IRP had submitted a claim of total amount of Rs. 11,15,050/- to the CoC for payment as fees of IRP and CIRP expenses and demanded that this should be paid to the IRP in the ratio of 75.83% (Department of Trade & Taxes NCT of Delhi) & 24.1% (Cargo Planners Ltd.).

5. Both the parties requested this Adjudicating Authority to settle the claim so that the litigation in respect of this matter ends, and the IRP who has paid the expenses himself is also reimbursed appropriately. After hearing the parties and with their consent it was agreed that instead of Rs. 11,15,050/-the CoC would pay to the IRP total sum of Rs. 8,00,000/- which would include the fees of the IRP as well as the expenditure incurred by him on the CIRP process. The above amount or Rs. 8,00,000/- would be shared between the members of the CoC in the ratio of their voting share based upon their admitted claim. Accordingly, the Department of Trade & Taxes NCT of Delhi would have to pay Rs. 6,06,640/- and the Cargo Planners Ltd. would have to pay Rs. 1,93,360/- to the applicant. The amount paid as advance by the Operational Creditor (Cargo Planners Ltd.) at the time of commencement of CIRP would be adjusted against the amount due from him to the IRP.

6. The Department of Trade & Taxes NCT of Delhi and the Financial Creditor (Cargo Planners Ltd.) are directed to strictly comply with the above directions

I.A No. 2401/2023 3 in CP(IB)-1899/2019 and release the payments as above to the IRP/Applicant within a period of three weeks.

7. Copy of this order is to be served to the Parties and the IRP is directed to serve the copy of this order to concerned Officer of the Department of Trade & Taxes NCT of Delhi. The IRP be at liberty to approach this Tribunal, in case of failure of any of the Parties to comply with these orders.

8. This IA is accordingly disposed of in terms of the observations and the directions.

-SD/- -SD/- (RAHUL BHATNAGAR) (MAHENDRA KHANDELWAL) MEMBER (TECHNICAL) MEMBER (JUDICIAL)

I.A No. 2401/2023 4 in CP(IB)-1899/2019

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