In the matter of Aryan Villa and Resorts LLP
- CitationCP (IB) No.189/Chd/Hry/2019
Ratio decidendi
The rule this decision rests on
The Adjudicating Authority admits an operational creditor's Section 9 petition where the demand notice under Section 8 is shown to have been served, no reply or dispute of the operational debt has been received from the corporate debtor, the corporate debtor has not paid the amount claimed, and the petition is supported by the affidavit and financial-institution certificate required under Section 9(3); on those findings the conditions of Section 9(5)(i) are satisfied and the petition is admitted and the moratorium under Section 14(1) ordered. Where the corporate debtor fails to appear or respond despite service of notice of the petition, the Tribunal may proceed ex parte, and the absence of any dispute of the operational debt is treated as establishing the debt and default for the purposes of admission. A Section 9 application is within limitation where it is filed within three years of the date of default, the default date being the date on which the corporate debtor failed to pay the operational debt as demanded.
Written by Miss Lucy from the judgment below, not taken from a headnote.
Judgment
As delivered
Coram: Hon’ble Mr. Harnam Singh Thakur, Member (Judicial) Hon’ble Mr. Subrata Kumar Dash, Member (Technical) For the Petitioner-Operational Creditor : Mr. Jashan Chopra, Advocate For the respondent-Corporate Debtor : Respondent ex-parte vide Order dated 26.04.2022.
Per: Harnam Singh Thakur, Member (Judicial)
CP (IB) No.189/Chd/Hry/2019
JUDGMENT The present petition is filed, under Section 9 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 ( for brevity ‘IBC’ / ‘Code’ ), by M/s. Madhav Alloys Private Limited ( for brevity ‘Operational Creditor’ / ‘Petitioner’ ), represented by its Authorized Representative Mr. Mohit Kanojia, with a prayer to initiate Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process ( CIRP ) in case of Aryan Villa and Resorts LLP ( for brevity ‘Corporate Debtor’/ ‘Respondent’ ). 2. The Corporate Debtor namely, Aryan Villa and Resorts LLP, is a LLP incorporated on 14.09.2015 under the provisions of LLP Act, 2008 with Identification Number AAE-7502 with its registered office at Silani Gate, Jhajjar-124103. Hence, the territorial jurisdiction lies with this Adjudicating Authority. 3. The facts of the case, briefly, as stated in the petition are that the operational creditor was approached by the corporate debtor for supply of TMT Bar and various invoices were raised which were duly received and acknowledged. Copy of the statement of accounts maintained by the operational creditor is attached as Annexure A-44. Copy of the Cheque (Annexure A8-A12). Certificate from financial institution under Section 9(3)(c) of the IBC, 2016 confirming that there is no payment of unpaid operational debt by the corporate debtor (Pg. No. 74-D). 4. It is submitted by the petitioner in Form 5, Part IV that the amount claimed to be in default is Rs.49,90,671/- (Principal amount of CP (IB) No.189/Chd/Hry/2019
Rs.45,30,671 plus interest at the rate of 12% p.a. from 14.03.2018 upto 10.01.2019) and the default occurred on 18.07.2018. 5. A demand notice in Form 3 & 4 dated 10.01.2019 is stated to be issued to the operational creditor by speed post. Copy of postal receipt and affidavit by operational creditor to the effect that there is no reply against demand notice (Pg No. 74-B)
6. In Part-III of Form No. 5, no Interim Resolution Professional has been proposed by the petitioner. Keeping in view of this, we appoint Mr. Vipul Garg, Insolvency Resolution Professional from the list provided by IBBI. 7. Notice of this petition was issued to the corporate debtor vide order dated 29.07.2019 to show cause as to why this petition be not admitted. None appeared on behalf of the corporate-debtor. Thereafter as per order dated 26.04.2022 of this Tribunal, the authorized representative for petitioner-operational creditor informed the date of hearing to the opposite counsel and the compliance affidavit has been placed on record as per the direction. Despite service, there was no representation from the respondent-corporate debtor and even no reply is filed. In these circumstances, this Adjudication Authority was constrained to proceed with the matter and the respondent has been set ex parte. 8. We have heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and have perused the records. 9. The first issue for consideration is whether the demand notice in Form 3 dated 10.01.2019 was properly served.
The petitioner has filed its CP (IB) No.189/Chd/Hry/2019 written submissions vide diary No. 00255/2 dated 05.07.2022, whereby it has been stated that the Demand notice as per Form 3 & 4 was duly served upon corporate debtor before filing of the present petition and no reply to that has been duly received. 10. The next issue for consideration is whether the operational debt was disputed by the corporate debtor. It is to be noted that none appeared on behalf of the corporate debtor despite repeated service and has been set ex parte vide order dated 26.04.2022. Moreover, the petitioner has appended affidavit u/s 9(3)(b) stating that even no reply to the demand notice and the corporate debtor has not cleared the outstanding dues, which is reflected in the certificate issued under Section 9(3)(c) of the Code, for which the present petition has been filed by the operational creditor. 11. The other issue for consideration is whether this application is filed within limitation. This application was filed on 28.02.2019 vide Diary No.1032. Whereas the date of default is 18.07.2018, therefore, this Adjudicating Authority finds that this application has been filed within limitation.
12. We have gone through the contents of the application filed in the Form 5 and find the same to be complete. As discussed above, there is a total unpaid operational debt (in default) is of Rs.49,90,671/- (Principal amount of Rs.45,30,671 plus interest at the rate of 12% p.a. from 14.03.2018 upto 10.01.2019). The operational creditor has supplied goods to the corporate debtor and raised invoices attached as Annexure A-3 to A7. Accordingly, the petitioner proved the debt and the default, which is more
CP (IB) No.189/Chd/Hry/2019 than Rupees one lakh (prior to the amendment in threshold limit of one crore vide notification No. S.O.1205(E) dated 24.03.2020) by the respondent-corporate debtor.
13. It is noted that the corporate debtor has failed to make payment of the aforesaid amount due as mentioned in the statutory notice till date. Thus, the conditions under Section 9 of the Code stand satisfied. It is evident from the above-mentioned facts that the liability of the corporate debtor is undisputed. Accordingly, the petitioner proved the debt and the default, which is above threshold limit. 14. In the present petition, all the aforesaid requirements have been satisfied. It is seen that the petition preferred by the petitioner is complete in all respects. The material on record clearly goes to show that the respondent committed default in payment of the claimed operational debt even after demand made by the petitioner. In view of the satisfaction of the conditions provided for in Section 9(5)(i) of the Code, we admit the petition for initiation of the CIR Process in the case of the Corporate Debtor, Aryan Villa LLP Resorts and also direct moratorium in terms of sub-section (1) of Section 14 of the code to take effect and appoint Interim Resolution Professional as below. a) the institution of suits or continuation of pending suits or proceedings against the corporate debtor including execution of any judgment, decree or order in any court of law, tribunal, arbitration panel or other authority;
CP (IB) No.189/Chd/Hry/2019 b) transferring, encumbering, alienating or disposing of by the corporate debtor any of its assets or any legal right or beneficial interest therein;
c) any action to foreclose, recover or enforce any security interest created by the corporate debtor in respect of its property including any action under the Securitization and Reconstruction of Operational Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002;
d) the recovery of any property by an owner or lessor where such property is occupied by or in the possession of the corporate debtor.
15. It is further directed that the supply of essential goods or services to the corporate debtor as may be specified, shall not be terminated or suspended or interrupted during moratorium period. The provisions of Section 14(3) shall, however, not apply to such transactions as may be notified by the Central Government in consultation with any operational sector regulator and to a surety in a contract of guarantee to a corporate debtor. 16. The order of moratorium shall have effect from the date of this order till completion of the corporate insolvency resolution process or until this Bench approves the resolution plan under sub-section (1) of Section 31 or passes an order for liquidation of corporate debtor under Section 33 as the case may be.
CP (IB) No.189/Chd/Hry/2019
17. The Law Research Associate of this Tribunal has checked the credentials of Mr. Vipul Garg and there is nothing adverse against him. In view of the above, we appoint Mr. Vipul Garg, Registration No.IBBI/IPA-001/IP-P00462/2017-2018/10805,E-mail: vipul_ca@rediffmail.co m Mobile No.9896046612 as the Interim Resolution Professional with the following directions:- i.) The term of appointment of Mr. Vipul Garg shall be in accordance with the provisions of Section 16(5) of the Code;
ii.) The Interim Resolution Professional, Mr. Vipul Garg is directed to file his written consent in Form-2 within one week of this order.
iii.) In terms of Section 17 of the Code, from the date of this appointment, the powers of the Board of Directors shall stand suspended and the management of the affairs shall vest with the Interim Resolution Professional and the officers and the managers of the Corporate Debtor shall report to the Interim Resolution Professional, who shall be enjoined to exercise all the powers as are vested with Interim Resolution Professional and strictly perform all the duties as are enjoined on the Interim Resolution Professional under Section 18 and other relevant provisions of the Code, including taking control
CP (IB) No.189/Chd/Hry/2019 and custody of the assets over which the Corporate Debtor has ownership rights recorded in the balance sheet of the Corporate Debtor etc. as provided in Section 18 (1) (f) of the Code. The Interim Resolution Professional is directed to prepare a complete list of inventory of assets of the Corporate Debtor;
iv.) The Interim Resolution Professional shall strictly act in accordance with the Code, all the rules framed thereunder by the Board or the Central Government and in accordance with the Code of Conduct governing his profession and as an Insolvency Professional with high standards of ethics and moral;
v.) The Interim Resolution Professional shall cause a public announcement within three days as contemplated under Regulation 6 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Insolvency Resolution Process for Corporate Persons) Regulations, 2016 of the initiation of the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process in terms of Section 13 (1) (b) of the Code read with Section 15 calling for the submission of claims against Corporate Debtor;
vi.) It is hereby directed that the Corporate Debtor, its Directors, personnel and the persons associated with CP (IB) No.189/Chd/Hry/2019 the management shall extend all cooperation to the Interim Resolution Professional in managing the affairs of the Corporate Debtor as a going concern and extend all cooperation in accessing books and records as well as assets of the Corporate Debtor;
vii.) This Adjudicating Authority further directs the ex-management and promoters of the corporate debtor to specifically comply with the provisions of the Sub Regulation (2) of Regulation 4 of the Insolvency Resolution Process for Corporate Persons Regulations, 2016. The RP is directed to make a specific mention of any non-compliance in this regard in his status report filed before this Bench and move an application seeking appropriate remedy, if required. This is imperative for meeting the Code’s objectives for maximising the value of the assets of the corporate debtor and by completing the resolution process in a time-bound manner.
viii.) The Interim Resolution Professional shall after collation of all the claims received against the Corporate Debtor and the determination of the operational position of the Corporate Debtor constitute a Committee of Creditors and shall file a report, certifying the constitution of the Committee to this Tribunal on or before the expiry of CP (IB) No.189/Chd/Hry/2019 thirty days from the date of his appointment, and shall convene first meeting of the Committee within seven days of filing the report of constitution of the Committee; and ix.) The Interim Resolution Professional is directed to send regular progress report to this Tribunal every fortnight.
18. The petitioner is directed to deposit an amount of ₹75,000/- (Rupees Seventy Five Thousand Only) with the Interim Resolution Professional to meet the immediate expenses of the CIRP within two weeks. The same shall be fully accountable by Interim Resolution Professional and shall be reimbursed by the Committee of Creditors (CoC) to the petitioner to be recovered as the CIRP cost. 19. A copy of this order be communicated to both the parties. The learned counsel for the petitioner shall deliver a copy of this order to the Interim Resolution Professional forthwith. The Registry is also directed to send a copy of this order to the Interim Resolution Professional at his email address forthwith. 20. This petition is accordingly allowed and admitted.
Sd/- Sd/- (Subrata Kumar Dash) (Harnam Singh Thakur) Member (Technical) Member (Judicial)
August 02, 2022 PB/ASH
CP (IB) No.189/Chd/Hry/2019
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