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In the matter of Hiranmaye Energy Limited

National Company Law Tribunal24 May 2024

Interim / procedural order — not a final adjudication. Do not cite as a holding.

Ratio decidendi

The rule this decision rests on

The Tribunal may, pending a settlement proposal placed before the Committee of Creditors under the leave granted by the Supreme Court, hold the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process in abeyance for a limited period, so that the Committee of Creditors may consider the proposal and take a decision within a fixed time, and the Resolution Professional is obliged to place such a proposal before the Committee of Creditors by calling an appropriate meeting.

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

Judgment

As delivered

DIVISION BENCH S-5COURT - IINATIONAL COMPANY LAW TRIBUNALKOLKATA BENCHKOLKATAC.P.(IB)/138(KB)2021IA(I.B.C)/1049(KB)2024CORAM 1. HON’BLE MEMBER(J), SMT. BIDISHA BANERJEE2. HON’BLE MEMBER(T), SHRI D. ARVINDATTENDANCE-CUM-ORDER SHEET OF THE HEARING ON 24THMAY 2024RECLIMITEDIN THE MATTER OF VSHIRANMAYEENERGYLIMITEDUNDER SECTION IBCUNDERSEC7Appearance(via video conferencing/physically)Mr. Joy Saha, Sr. Adv. ]for theApplicantMr. Anuj Singh, Adv.Mr. Rahul Poddar, Adv.Ms.Manju Bhuteria, Adv. ]for Respondent IRPMr. Madhav Kanoria, Adv.Ms.Srideepa Bhattacharyya, Adv.Mr. Abhijeet Kashyap, Adv.Ms.Rituparna Chatterjee, Adv.OR DER

1. Ld. Sr. Counsel/ Counsel for theparties present. 2. IA(I.B.C)/1049(KB)2024: a. Heard the Ld. Sr. Counsel Mr. JoySaha appearing for the Power Trust and Ms. Manju Bhuteriaappearing fortheResolution Professional, at length. b. The contention of the Ld. Sr. Counsel for the Petitioner is that pursuant to an order dated 03.05.2024, the Hon’ble Apex Court permitted the Appellant / Power Trust (Promoter of Hiranmaye Energy Limited ) to submit a proposal for settlement to the first Respondent which if permitted shall be processed in accordance with law. On the same day Civil Appeal No. 2211 of 2024 was admitted forfinal hearing. c. Emboldened by the said liberty, the Petitioner has given a detailed settlement agreement in regard to thedues of INR 1,101.56Crores as under: Amount(INR in Details Crores) 75.00 The Promoter shall make the Corporate Debtor deposit INR 75

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Amount(INR in Details Crores) Crores (“Upfront Amount”) within five (5) working days from the date on which the settlement plan is approved by the Ld. NCLT, Kolkata (“NCLT Approval Date”). 1026.56 The balance payment of INR 1026.56 Crores may be paid upfront withinninety (90) WorkingDays. The Lenders agree that they shall have no charge on any assets once theabove payment has been made.

d. The contention of the Ld. Sr. Counsel is that the settlement proposal deserves considerationfor: i. The total profit earned by the Corporate Debtor before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBIDTA) for the financial year 2021- 2022 and financial year 2022-23 is INR 259.94 crores and INR 308.03 crores respectively. Consequently, the Corporate Debtor cannot by any stretch of imagination be deemed to be insolvent; ii. During current financial year i.e. 2023-24 between 01.04.2023 to 31.01.2024, the Corporate Debtor raised bills and/or invoices upon the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as the "WBSEDCL") for a total sum of INR 747.98 crores demonstrating thecompletesolvency ofthe CorporateDebtor; iii. In fact, even during the pendency of the Company Petition, the Corporate Debtor has made a total payment of INR 187.28 crores and INR 129.74crores to theRespondent No.2 and PFC Ltd., respectively. iv. The Corporate Debtor had a subsisting Power Purchase Agreement with West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) whereby the entire quantity of power generated by the Corporate Debtoris supplied to WBSEDCLas per itsfixed tariff; v. The Corporate Debtor has a subsisting and ongoing Fuel Supply Agreement under the Shakti Scheme with Mahanadi Coal Fields Ltd. whereby, the supply of raw materials to the Corporate Debtor is completely assured.

MJ vi. A profit-making power plant having an assured continuous supply of raw materials and an assured State Utility Purchaser of the entire quantityof power generated byit, could not bedriven intoinsolvency.

e. It appears from a letter dated 22.05.2024 from the RP that, the IRP of Hiranmaye Energy has proposed in response to the letter dated 17.05.2024, from Power Trust, for a meeting to arrive at mutual acceptable proposal sent pursuant to the Hon’ble Apex Court order dated 03.05.2024, as referred to hereinabove. It says the “The RP has requested Power Trust to hear settlement proposal that it intends to place before the Committee of Creditors (CoC) of Hiranmaye Energy Ltd. for their lawful consideration and further action and therefore, Ld. Sr. Counsel Mr. Joy Saha would contend that the proposal will be placed before the CoC through RP in two days for which the following prayers beallowed: i. Grant an order to keep in abeyance the present Corporate Insolvency Resolution Proceedings initiated against the Corporate Debtor until further orders; ii. Grant an order deferring the process of accepting and evaluating the EoI or sharing of data with the prospective bidders until consideration of the settlement proposal made by the applicant in terms of the order dated 3 May 2024 passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in Appeal No of2211of2024; iii.

A direction upon the Resolution Professional of the Corporate Debtor to call for a meeting pursuant to the letter dated 17th May, 2024 of the Applicant to arrive at a mutually acceptable proposal along with the lenders and subsequent meetings and to report the discussion to this Court; f. Ld. Sr. Counsel also points out that 180 days of the CIRP is not yet over. A provisional list of Prospective Resolution Applicants has been prepared and published, andan extension oftimeto putin EoI has been granted. g. Per contra, vehemently opposing the move on the part of Power Trust, Ld. Counsel Ms. Bhuteria appearing for the RP would submit that the application should be dismissed with cost as CoC is not impleaded and no stay ofCIRP be MJ granted as prayed for, for a stay that was sought for before the Hon’ble Apex Court was not granted and therefore, matter does not warrant any order staying theCIR Process. h. Weconsidered therival contentions and perused therecords. i. We are of the considered opinion that the Appellant being permitted by the Hon’ble Apex Court to submit a proposal for settlement, to the first Respondent, settlement proposal on behalf of the Power Trust if any be communicated to theRP inthree days. j. The RP upon receipt of such proposal shall place it before the CoC by calling an appropriate meeting forthepurpose. k. The CoC will consider the proposal, in light of the order passed by the Hon’ble Apex Court on 03.05.2024 (as referred to supra) and take a decision withina period oftwo weeks thereafter onthe proposal. l. Till such time, in the interim, we deem it appropriate to direct that the CIRP proceedings be kept in abeyance till a decision is arrived at by the CoC on the settlement proposal ofthe PowerTrust. m. Let a plain copy of the order be made available to the parties for communication and compliance. n. List thematter on 14.06.2024.

D. Arvind BidishaBanerjee Member (Technical) Member (Judicial)

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