National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT): The Coram of Justice Abni Ranjan Kumar Sinha,(Judicial Member), and L.N. Gupta, (Technical Member) while exercising their jurisdiction, terminated the CIR process of the Corporate Debtor with immediate effect.
In the instant case, Om Logistics Ltd., Operational Creditor, had filed an application for initiation of CIR Process against the Ryder India Pvt. Ltd., Corporate Debtor and the Adjudicating Authority had initiated the CIR Process against the Corporate Debtor and had appointed Mr. Bikram Singh Gusain IP, as the Interim Resolution Professional (IRP). It was alleged that the CIR Process so initiated, was not for the resolution of Insolvency. Instead, the Operational Creditor had used for recovery and got the CIR process started with malicious intent for a purpose other than the resolution of insolvency of the Corporate Debtor, not permissible under the IBC 2016.
The Tribunal was of the view that the IRP for dissolution of the Corporate Debtor ‘cannot be accepted since the Liquidation is a pre-requisite to the Dissolution’ and in the present case, no order of Liquidation has been passed due to absence of any such proposal and non-functioning of the CoC.
The Tribunal was thus of the opinion that,
“After hearing submissions of the Applicant/IRP, perusing his averments and documents placed on record, this Bench is of the view that the prayer made by the IRP for dissolution of the Corporate Debtor cannot be accepted since the Liquidation is a pre-requisite to the Dissolution and in the present case, no order of Liquidation has been passed due to absence of any such proposal and non-functioning of the CoC”.
The Coram further held that
“by exercising our jurisdiction under Section 60(5) of IBC 2016 along with inherent power under Rule 11 of the NCLT Rules, 2016, we hereby terminate the CIR process of the Corporate Debtor with immediate effect and release the Corporate Debtor from the rigors of the CIRP and moratorium”.[Om Logistics Limited v Ryder India Pvt. Ltd. IA. 2038/ND/2020, decided on 29-07-2021]
Advocates before the Tribunal:
For the Applicant: Mr. Vinod Chaurasiya, Advocate for IRP
