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Mapmygenome India Limited

Reserve Bank Of India3 May 2000

Ratio decidendi

The rule this decision rests on

The compounding authority may dispose of an application for compounding of contraventions under FEMA by considering the averments in the application together with the documents on record, where the applicant has admitted the contraventions at a personal hearing and has declared, on oath or by declaration, that the particulars furnished are true and correct and that no enquiry, investigation or adjudication is pending against it; the compounding order is then made subject to the veracity of those declarations, so that it remains without prejudice to any other action if they are subsequently found to be false or incorrect. Under Section 13 of FEMA, the amount payable on compounding is fixed by the compounding authority in the exercise of its discretion, having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, and the authority may take a lenient view and compound at an amount below the penalty that could be imposed on adjudication (up to thrice the sum involved), where it is persuaded that the amount so fixed meets the ends of justice. Delay attributable to lack of awareness of FEMA provisions, as opposed to wilful or mala fide default, is a relevant circumstance the compounding authority may weigh in deciding to take a lenient view on the compounding amount.

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 Secretariat Road Saifabad, Hyderabad 500 004 Present Smt. N Sara Rajendra Kumar General Manager Date: October 28, 2019 C.A. HYD 448 In the matter of M/s. Mapmygenome India Limited Royal Demeure, Plot No. 12/2, Sector-1 HUDA Techno Enclave Madhapur, Hyderabad - 500 081 (Applicant) In exercise of the powers conferred under sub-section 1 of Section 15 of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 and the Regulations/ Rules/ Notifications/ Orders made thereunder, I pass the following Order

The applicant has filed the compounding application dated August 13, 2019 received by us on August 20, 2019 for compounding of contraventions of the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) and the regulations issued thereunder. The contraventions sought to be compounded are (i) delay in reporting of receipt of foreign inward remittances towards subscription of equity, (ii) delay in submission of form FC-GPR to the Reserve Bank after issue of shares to a person resident outside India and (iii) delay in filing the Annual Return in respect of the Foreign Liabilities and Assets (FLA Return) in terms of Paragraph 9(1)(A),

Compounding of contraventions under FEMA 1999 M/s Mapmygenome India Limited CA No. HYD 448 Paragraph 9(1)(B), Paragraph 9(2) of 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 3rd May 2000 as then applicable (hereinafter referred to as Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB) and Regulation 13.1(3) of Schedule I to Notification No. FEMA 20(R)/2017-RB dated November 07, 2017 as amended from time to time respectively.

2. The relevant facts of the case are as follows: a) The applicant is a resident company incorporated as Public Limited Company under the Companies Act, 1956 on February 10, 2012 (CIN: U24232TG2012PLC079091). The company is engaged in the “Activities of independent diagnostic/pathological laboratories”. b) The applicant had received foreign inward remittances from foreign investors as indicated below: S.No Name of remitter Amount (INR) Date of Date of Receipt reporting 1 Amit J Basu 30,30,196.95 23.01.2015 02.04.2015 2 Singapore Angel 62,22,000 12.02.2015 02.04.2015 Network Pte Ltd Total 92,52,196.95 The app licant reported receipt of remittances towards share subscription amounting to ₹ 92, 52,196.95 to the Regional Office of Reserve Bank of India with delays ranging f rom 19 days to 1 month 9 days approximately as indicated above. Whereas in terms of Paragraph 9(1)(A) of Schedule 1 to Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB, an India n company issuing shares or convertible debentures in accordance with these Regulations should report to the Reserve Bank of India as per the prescribed procedure not later than 30 days from the date of receipt of the amount of consideration.

Compounding of contraventions under FEMA 1999 M/s Mapmygenome India Limited CA No. HYD 448 c) The applicant allotted equity shares and filed form FC-GPRs as indicated below: Name of Date of No. of Amount for Date of S.No investor allotment of Shares which shares reporting shares allotted allotted (INR) 1 Amit J Basu 3,030 30,30,000 Singapore 25.02.2015 6,222 62,22,000 29.05.2015 2 Angel Network Pte Ltd Total 9,252 92,52,000 The applicant filed two form FC-GPRs for the allotment of shares amounting to ₹ 92,52,000/- which were reported with delays of 2 months 2 days approximately beyond the prescribed limit. Whereas in terms of Paragraph 9(1)(B) of Schedule 1 to Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB, an Indian company issuing shares in accordance with these Regulations has to submit to Reserve Bank a report in form FCGPR along with documents prescribed therein within 30 days from the date of issue of shares to person resident outside India. d) The company has delayed in filing FLA Return (Foreign Liabilities and Assets) as shown below. Here the period of contravention ranges from 1 year 3 months to 4 years 3 months approximately.

Sl Particulars Financial Due date of filing Date of actual filing No year the return 1 FLA Return 2014-15 15.07.2015 15.10.2019 2 FLA Return 2015-16 15.07.2016 15.10.2019 3 FLA Return 2016-17 15.07.2017 15.10.2019

Compounding of contraventions under FEMA 1999 M/s Mapmygenome India Limited CA No. HYD 448 4 FLA Return 2017-18 15.07.2018 15.10.2019 Whereas in terms of Paragraph 9(2) of Schedule I to Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB dated May 03, 2000 as then applicable and Regulation 13.1(3) of Schedule I to Notification No. FEMA 20(R)/2017-RB dated November 07, 2017 as amended from time to time, “All Indian companies which have received Foreign Direct Investment in the previous year(s) including the current year shall submit to the Reserve Bank of India, on or before the 15th day of July of each year, [a report titled ‘Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets’ (FLA) as specified by the Reserve Bank from time to time].

3. (a) The applicant was given an opportunity for personal hearing vide Reserve Bank’s letter No. HY.FE.FID/ 908 /14.66.003/2019-20 dated October 18, 2019 for further submission in person and/or producing documents, if any, in support of the application. (b) The applicant appeared for personal hearing on October 21, 2019 during which Shri. K.C. Sreedhar, Manager (Finance & Accounts) and Shri. CA. Shiva Rami Reddy, Chartered Accountant represented the applicant. The authorized representatives of the applicant admitted the contraventions for which the compounding has been sought. During the personal hearing it was submitted that the delay was not wilful or with a malafide intention but was due to lack of awareness of FEMA provisions. In view of the foregoing, the representative of the applicant requested to take a lenient view in disposal of the application. The application for compounding is, therefore, being considered on the basis of the averments made in the application.

4. I have given my careful consideration to the documents on record. Accordingly, I hold that the applicant has contravened the following FEMA provisions issued in terms of:-

Compounding of contraventions under FEMA 1999 M/s Mapmygenome India Limited CA No. HYD 448 (a) Paragraph 9(1)(A) of Schedule 1 to Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB for delay in reporting the receipt of consideration towards issue of shares amounting to ₹ 92,52,196.95 and the period of contravention ranges from 19 days to 1 month 9 days approximately. (b) Paragraph 9(1)(B) of Schedule 1 to Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB for delay in submission of Form FC-GPR to Reserve Bank of India after issue of shares to persons resident outside India and the contravention relates to an amount of ₹ 92,52,000/- and the period of contravention is 2 months 4 days approximately. (c) Paragraph 9(2) of Schedule I to Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB and Regulation 13.1(3) of Schedule I to Notification No. FEMA 20(R)/2017-RB for delay in filing of Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets to Reserve Bank of India for four financial years viz, 2014-15 to 2017-18 with delays ranging from 1 year 3 months to 4 years 3 months approximately.

5. It has been declared in the compounding application dated August 13, 2019, that the particulars given by the applicant in the application are true and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief. It has been declared in the declaration dated August 13, 2019 furnished with 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 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.

Compounding of contraventions under FEMA 1999 M/s Mapmygenome India Limited CA No. HYD 448 6. 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 contravention is to be compounded and I consider that an amount of ₹ 62,749 /- (Rupees Sixty Two Thousand Seven Hundred Forty Nine Only) will meet the ends of justice.

7. Accordingly, I compound the admitted contraventions, namely, the contraventions of Paragraph 9(1)(A), Paragraph 9(1)(B), Paragraph 9(2) of Schedule 1 to Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB and Regulation 13.1(3) of Schedule I to Notification No. FEMA 20(R)/2017-RB by the applicant on the facts discussed above in terms of the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000 on payment of an amount ₹ 62,749 /- (Rupees Sixty Two Thousand Seven Hundred Forty Nine Only) which shall be deposited by the applicant with the Reserve Bank of India, Foreign Exchange Department, 1st Floor, Saifabad, Hyderabad - 500004 by a demand draft drawn in favour of the "Reserve Bank of India" and payable at Hyderabad 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.

The application is disposed of accordingly. Dated this 28th day of October 2019.

Sd/- (N Sara Rajendra Kumar) General Manager

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