National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT): The Coram of Justice Jarat Kumar Jain, Judicial Member and Dr Ashok Kumar Mishra, Technical Member while dismissing as appeal released the Corporate Debtor Company from the rigours of CIRP, and allowed the Board to function through its Board of Directors from immediate effect. The Appellate Tribunal also remitted back the matter to the Adjudicating Authority to decide the fees and costs of CIRP payable to IRP, to be borne by the Corporate Debtor.
In the instant matter, K. Srinivas Krishna, the Suspended Director of Corporate Debtor, filed an appeal against the order passed by the Adjudicating Authority before the Appellate Tribunal. Further, a civil appeal was filed before the Supreme Court challenging the Appellate Tribunal’s impugned order. The appeal was dismissed on the ground that the claim of the Operational Creditor for Rs, 50,32,028 was not tenable and other claim was paid. Further, the interim stay passed by the Tribunal was vacated and IRP was directed to take further action against the CIRP. Further, the objections raised by the Operational Creditor were rejected by the adjudicating authority on the grounds of material error, where the form FA (application for withdrawal of CIRP) was not signed by the Operational Creditor (applicant) on whose application CIRP was initiated. Therefore, the application was dismissed for not being maintainable. Being aggrieved by the order, the Suspended Director of the Company filed an appeal where the impugned order was challenged.
The Tribunal was of the opinion that, to prevent abuse of process, setting aside the impugned order and the order of initiating CIRP against the Corporate Debtor was more conducive. Therefore, the Corporate Debtor Company was released from the rigours of the CIRP and was allowed to function through its Board of Directors from immediate effect.
Further, the Tribunal remitted back the matter to the Adjudicating Authority to decide the fees and costs of CIRP payable to IRP which shall be borne by the Corporate Debtor.[K. Srinivas Krishna v. Shyam Arora, Company Appeal (AT) (Insolvency) No. 221 of 2021, decided on 02-09-2021]
Agatha Shukla, Editorial Assistant has reported this brief.
Counsel for the Parties:
For Appellant :
Mr. P Nagesh, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Srinivas Kotni, Mr. Shantam Gorwara, Advocates and Mr. Srinivas Krishna, in person.
For Respondents :
Mr. Shyam Arora, Respondent No. 1 in person, Mr. Sharad Tyagi, Mr. K. Gayatri, Advocates for Respondent No. 1. 2
Mr. Sanjay Kapur, Mr. V M Kannan, Ms. Shubhra Kapur, and Mr. Arjun Bhatia, Advocates for Respondent No. 2.
Dr. Laxhmi Narashimha, Advocate for RP.