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M/s Carlyle India Advisors Private Limited

Reserve Bank Of India10 April 2019

Ratio decidendi

The rule this decision rests on

The Compounding Authority may compound a contravention of a FEMA regulation, here non-filing or delayed filing of the Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets under Para 9(2) of FEMA 20, where the applicant admits the contravention, the admission is supported by the declarations made in the compounding application, and the amount of compounding is fixed under section 13 of FEMA having regard to the relevant facts and circumstances of the case, with the order remaining subject to the veracity of those declarations and without prejudice to any other action by any authority.

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 Present Shri J.K. Pandey Chief General Manager April 10, 2019 CA No. MUM842/2019 In the matter of M/s Carlyle India Advisors Pvt Ltd 1st Floor, Quadrant A, The IL & Fs Financial Centre, Plot C-22, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra E, Mumbai 400051 (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 December 18, 2018, received at the Reserve Bank on February 22, 2019, for compounding of contravention/s of the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (the FEMA) and the regulations issued thereunder. The contraventions 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): a) Para 9 (2) of FEMA 20: Delay in filing ‘Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets’ (FLA Returns)

FED, MRO, CEFA, M/s Carlyle India Advisors Pvt Ltd, CA No: MUM 842/2019

2 Brief facts of the applicant company are as follows: Date of Incorporation October 12, 2000 Its main activities are: Management consultancy activities

3 The company has not filed/delayed in filing the Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets (FLA return) to the Reserve Bank of India for the Financial Years 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17. Whereas, in terms of Paragraph 9(2) of Schedule 1 to Notification No. FEMA 20 read with A. P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 29 dated February 02, 2017, all Indian companies which have received Foreign Direct Investment in the previous years including the current year, shall submit to the Reserve Bank of India, on or before the due date (as applicable) each year, a report titled ‘Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets’ as specified by the Reserve Bank from time to time. 4 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 April 03, 2019. The applicant applied for waiver of personal hearing vide e mail dated April 04, 2019. The applicant, in the compounding application, had admitted the contravention as stated above for which compounding has been sought. It had been submitted that the contravention was not wilful and was unintentional. 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. 5 I have given my careful consideration to the documents on record and thereafter. Accordingly, I hold that the applicant has contravened the following FEMA provisions issued in terms of: a) Para 9 (2) of FEMA 20, due to non-filing/delay in filing of Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets for the Financial Years 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.

6 It has been declared in the compounding application dated December 18, 2018 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.

FED, MRO, CEFA, M/s Carlyle India Advisors Pvt Ltd, CA No: MUM 842/2019

7 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.110,000 (Rupees One Lakh Ten Thousand and Zero Paise Only) will meet the ends of justice. 8 Accordingly, I compound the admitted contravention/s namely, the contravention/s of Para 9 (2) 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. 110,000 (Rupees One Lakh Ten Thousand 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. 9 The above order is passed only in respect of contraventions of Para 9 (2) 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.

10 The application is disposed of accordingly. dated: April 10, 2019 Compounding Authority (J.K. Pandey) Chief General Manager

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