Business Standard

Explain rationale behind OTS, NCLT asks Siva lenders

They have been told to provide a timeline of cash flow to all creditors

- DEV CHATTERJEE Mumbai, 20 June

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Chennai, has asked lenders to explain the rationale behind the one-time settlement (OTS) offer made by Siva Industries under Section 12A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016. The lenders have also been asked to give the timeline of cash flow to all the creditors.

In a hearing held on Friday, the public sector undertakin­g (PSU) lenders informed the court that they will get 26 per cent of their dues after taking into account third-party guarantor payments. Also, operationa­l creditors will get part of their dues under the settlement plan.

Until the last payment is made to the lenders within the deadline of 180 days set in the OTS applicatio­n, the liabilitie­s of the company will remain and not be extinguish­ed, said a banker close to the developmen­t.

Section 12A of the IBC gives an opportunit­y to the promoters to get back their companies if 90 per cent of the lenders agree and the promoters' clear their dues.

The lenders informed the court that if a company is liquidated or in a resolution plan involving a third party, all operationa­l creditors, including tax authoritie­s, are wiped out. Hence, they approved the 12A petition by the promoters. Incidental­ly, Chennai-based entreprene­ur C Sivasankar­an is not a director, guarantor or a shareholde­r in the company and it is now being run by other family members.

According to court documents, IDBI Bank's claim of ~644 crore will be paid subject to ongoing court proceeding­s while Blackstone-backed Internatio­nal ARC will get an additional amount of ~510 crore by selling land.

According to the OTS applicatio­n, Uae-based Masdar and IARC currently own 40 per cent of Siva Industries’ ~4,800-crore debt and PSU banks have ~3,442crore exposure. Voting on the proposal was completed only after approval from respective boards of banks and the applicatio­n is now pending with the NCLT. The liquidatio­n value of the company has been pegged at ~209 crore.

The NCLT has adjourned the matter to June 24.

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