M/s Kris Automated Packaging Systems Private Limited
- CitationRBI Compounding Order CA No. MUM981/2019
Ratio decidendi
The rule this decision rests on
The compounding authority holds that a contravention of para 8 of FEMA 20, consisting of the failure to issue shares or refund the consideration within 180 days of receipt of an inward remittance from a non-resident investor, is established where the applicant admits the default and the record shows the delay beyond that period, and that such a contravention may be compounded under section 15(1) of FEMA on payment of an amount fixed by the compounding authority in the exercise of its discretion, having regard to the facts and circumstances, including the applicant's admission, its explanation that the delay was inadvertent, and the sum involved.
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 CA No. MUM981/2019 In the matter of M/s Kris Automated Packaging Systems Private Limited 65, Shanti Industrial Estate, Sarojini Naidu Road, Mulund West Mumbai 400 080 (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 October 16, 2019, received at the Reserve Bank on October 18, 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 8 of FEMA 20: Neither the equity instruments were issued, nor the money refunded to the foreign investor within 180 days from the receipt of the inward remittance 2 Brief details of the applicant company are as follows: Date of Incorporation April 03, 2009 Its main activities are: Supply of machinery, materials and service to customers engaged in Automotive, Electrical Parts, EWC, Stationary Kits, DIY Kits, Medical, Health, Beauty Products, Hardware, Retail, E-Commerce Industry etc.
FED, MRO, CEFA, M/s Kris Automated Packaging Systems Private Limited, CA No: MUM 981/2019
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 Delay in Date of Delay in No/ inward (in INR) reporting to reporting allotment allotment LSF remittanc RBI Foreign / refund or refund e (DD-MM-YY) Investment (DD-MM-YY) (DD-MM-YY) 1 22-06-10 6 6,77,004.00 06-07-2010 0 20-08-2010 0Y 0M 0D 2 23-11-10 7 3,000.00 28-11-2010 0 27-12-2010 0Y 0M 0D 2 23-11-10 1 7,570.00 28-11-2010 0 18-09-2019 8Y 3M 27D 3 20-10-11 5 0,00,000.00 16-11-2011 0 05-11-2011 0Y 0M 0D 3 20-10-11 4 0,745.00 16-11-2011 0 28-12-2011 0Y 0M 0D 4 22-01-13 5 0,00,000.00 05-02-2013 0 26-02-2013 0Y 0M 0D 4 22-01-13 4 6,983.00 05-02-2013 0 22-05-2013 0Y 0M 0D TOTAL 1 68,55,302.00 4 In respect of remittance amounting to Rs.17,570/- (Rupees Seventeen Thousand Five Hundred Seventy and Zero Paise Only), indicated in the table above the company allotted shares/ refunded the amount after 180 days from the date of receipt of investment. Whereas in terms of para 8 of FEMA 20, an Indian company is required to issue shares or refund the amount within 180 days from the date of receipt of inward remittance. The delay under this para is 8Y 3M 27D.
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 December 05, 2019. The applicant appeared for personal hearing on December 10, 2019, during which Mr V. Rajagopal, Consultant and Mr Vikas Acharya, Representative of the company represented the applicant in the office of the Compounding Authority. The representatives 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 Kris Automated Packaging Systems Private Limited, CA No: MUM 981/2019
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 8 of FEMA 20, since the shares were neither issued nor the amount was refunded to the person resident outside India within the prescribed time from the date of receipt of the inward remittance. The contravention relates to total amount of Rs.17,570/- (Rupees Seventeen Thousand Five Hundred Seventy and Zero Paise Only) with a delay of 8Y 3M 27D approximately. 7 It has been declared in the compounding application dated October 16, 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.14,638/- (Rupees Fourteen Thousand Six Hundred Thirty Eight and Zero Paise Only) will meet the ends of justice.
9 Accordingly, I compound the admitted contravention/s namely, the contravention/s of Para 8 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. 14,638/- (Rupees Fourteen Thousand Six Hundred Thirty Eight 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. 10 The above order is passed only in respect of contraventions of Para 8 of FEMA 20 and does not restrict the rights of any other authority to proceed against the Company for any other violations/contraventions noticed at any point of time.
FED, MRO, CEFA, M/s Kris Automated Packaging Systems Private Limited, CA No: MUM 981/2019
11 The application is disposed of accordingly.
(Sandeep Kulkarni) Assistant General Manager and Compounding Authority Dated: December 11, 2019
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