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SARFAESI - If charge on property is not disclosed to purchaser

In Sonoma Management Partners Pvt. Ltd. Vs. Bank of Maharashtra, the Hon'ble Bombay High Court found that the amount of sales tax was not disclosed to the final auction buyer till after the sale of the asset has been completed. Further the amount due from the defaulting company cannot be claimed from the auction purchaser can by no stretch of the imagination be termed as a successor of the business of the Defaulter Company. The Hon'ble court said that in State of Karnataka & Anr Vs. Shreyas Papers Pvt. Ltd., (2006) it has been held that  a charge may not be enforced against a transferee if she/he has had no notice of the same, unless by law, the requirement of such notice has been waived.

The Hon'ble court also mentioned the newly amended Sections 26D & E of the SARFAESI Act which states :-

"26D. Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, from the date of commencement of the provisions of this Chapter, no secured creditor shall be entitled to exercise the rights of enforcement of securities under Chapter III unless the security interest created in its favour by the borrower has been registered with the Central Registry.
26E. Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, after the registration of security interest, the debts due to any secured creditor shall be paid in priority over all other debts and all revenues, taxes, cesses and other rates payable to the Central Government or State Government or local authority.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, it is hereby clarified that on or after the commencement of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, in cases where insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings are pending in respect of secured assets of the borrower, priority to secured creditors in payment of debt shall be subject to the provisions of that Code." .

Similar amendment has been brought into the RDDB where a new section 31B has been inserted :-

"31B. Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the rights of secured creditors to realise secured debts due and payable to them by sale of assets over which security interest is created, shall have priority and shall be paid in priority over all other debts and Government dues including revenues, taxes, cesses and rates due to the Central Government, State Government or local authority.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, it is hereby clarified that on or after the commencement of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, in cases where insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings are pending in respect of secured assets of the borrower, priority to secured creditors in payment of debt shall be subject to the provisions of that Code.".

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