Skip to main content

NLCAT:Pre-existing dispute include pending suits do not apply to applications under Section 7 of I & B Code

In Company Appeal (AT) (Insolvency) No. 1021 of 2019, IN THE MATTER OF Karan Goel Vs M/s Pashupati Jewellers, appeal was filed against order  of the Adjudicating Authority admiting the application under Section 7 of the I&B Code preferred by M/s Pashupati Jewellers as a Financial Creditor.

The Appellant objected to the admission of the application on the ground that the ‘Corporate Guarantee and Undertaking’ Agreement provided by the Respondent while taking loan was a fraudulent document and a suit is pending on the said allegation.

The NCLAT observed that ‘Corporate Guarantee and Undertaking’ Agreement was executed on 7th April, 2017 is on record, which shows that the said Agreement is on e-Stamp, Indian Non Judicial issued by Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. In the said e-Stamp, it has been clearly mentioned that the e-Stamp was purchased by Marigold Overseas Ltd. for the purpose of Loan Agreement. Merely, because the Appellant - Mr. Karan Goel has entered into as Director in May 2017, now cannot take a plea that the ‘Corporate Guarantee and Undertaking’ Agreement dated 7th April, 2017 was a fraud played by one Mr. Bal Karan Singh Bhullar on the ground that is has not been reflected in the record of the Registrar of Companies. The ‘Corporate Guarantee’ was entered into by the Management of the ‘Corporate Debtor’, i.e., Marigold Overseas Limited. If for one or the other reason, they have not referred the ‘Corporate Guarantee and Undertaking’ Agreement to Registrar of Companies and suppressed the fact, the Appellant or the subsequent Director, cannot take a plea that the ‘Corporate Guarantee and Undertaking’ Agreement was obtained by fraud on 7th April, 2017 and is not reflected in the records of the Registrar of Companies.

Further referring to the decision of the Supreme Court in Innoventive Industries Ltd. Vs. ICICI Bank and Anr. – (2018) 1 SCC 407, the NLCAT held that it is clear that once the Adjudicating Authority is satisfied on the basis of records that the debt is payable and there is default, the Adjudicating Authority is required to admit the application. The Respondent – M/s Pashupati Jewellers having enclosed the copy of the ‘Corporate Guarantee and Undertaking’ Agreement dated 7th April, 2017 instituted on e-Stamp, issued by Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, it was not open to the Adjudicating Authority to deliberate on the issue whether e-Stamp is a forged document or not. Merely because a suit has been filed by the Appellant and pending, cannot be a ground to reject the application under Section 7 of the I&B Code. Pre-existing dispute cannot be a subject matter of Section 7, though it may be relevant under Section 9 of the I&B Code.

Comments

Most viewed this month

Amendment of plaint under Order VI Rule 17 of the CPC explained

Cause Title :  Ganesh Prasad vs Rajeshwar Prasad, SLP (C) NO. 28377 OF 2018, Supreme Court Of India Date of Judgment/Order : 14/3/2023 Corum : J. B. Pardiwala, J. Citied:  Revajeetu Builders and Developers v. Narayanaswamy & Sons and Others reported in (2009) 10 SCC 84 North Eastern Railway Administration, Gorakhpur v. Bhagwan Das reported in (2008) 8 SCC 511 P.A. Jayalakshmi v. H. Saradha and Others reported in (2009) 14 SCC 525 B.K. Narayana Pillai v. Parameswaran Pillai and Another reported in (2000) 1 SCC 712 A.K. Gupta and Sons Ltd. v. Damodar Valley Corporation reported in AIR 1967 SC 96 Life Insurance Corporation of India v. Sanjeev Builders Private Limited and Another, Civil Appeal No. 5909 of 2022 dated 01.09.2022 Firm Sriniwas Ram Kumar v. Mahabir Prasad and Others reported in AIR 1951 SC 177 G. Nagamma and Another v. Siromanamma and Another reported in (1996) 2 SCC 25 Praful Manohar Rele v. Krishnabai Narayan Ghosalkar and Others reported in (2014...

Owner of vehicle is not expected to verify the genuineness of the driving license before appointing a driver

Cause Title : Rishi Pal Singh Versus New India Assurance Co. Ltd & Ors., Civil Appeal No. 4919 Of 2022, The Supreme Court Of India Date of Judgment/Order : July 26, 2022 Corum : Hemant Gupta; J., Vikram Nath; J. Background the truck owned by the appellant met with an accident. The owner deposed before the court that before employing the driver, he had taken his driving test and that he was driving the vehicle satisfactorily and  that the driver was employed with him for 3 years before the date of the accident. He produced his driving license. This was reaffirmed by the driver who deposed that the driving license was obtained from the driver and it was issued from Nagaland, but no such license was produced on record. Both the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal and the High Court have held that the owner has alleged that the driver had a driving license from Nagaland but the same was not produced and therefore, the Insurance Company is entitled to recover the awarded amount...

The recovery of vehicles by the financier not an offence - SC

Special Leave Petition (Crl.) No. 8907  of 2009 Anup Sarmah (Petitioner) Vs Bhola Nath Sharma & Ors.(Respondents) The petitioner submitted that  respondents-financer had forcibly taken away the vehicle financed by them and  illegally deprived the petitioner from its lawful possession  and  thus,  committed  a crime. The complaint filed by the petitioner had been  entertained  by  the Judicial Magistrate (Ist Class), Gauhati (Assam) in Complaint Case  No.  608 of 2009, even directing the interim custody of the vehicle (Maruti  Zen)  be given to the petitioner vide order dated  17.3.2009.  The respondent on approaching the Guwahati High  Court against this order, the hon'ble court squashed the criminal  proceedings  pending   before  the  learned Magistrate. After hearing both sides, the Hon'ble Supreme Court decided on 30th...