The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Tuesday issued notices to Torrent Investments and other respondents on a petition filed by the lender of Reliance Capital seeking a second round of financial bids for the debt-ridden firm, currently going through insolvency resolution process. A two-member NCLAT bench headed by Chairperson Justice Ashok Bhushan issued notices, directing respondents to file replies within 3 days.
The appellate tribunal has directed to list the petition on February 9, 2023, saying the appeal would be heard and decided by it. Vistra ITCL (India) Ltd, one of the members of the Committee of Creditors of Reliance Capital, has moved NCLAT against an NCLT order. On February 2, the Mumbai bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had ruled against holding a fresh round of auction for the takeover of Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Capital (RCap) and said the challenge mechanism for financial bids has already concluded.
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It upheld the plea by Torrent Investments challenging bankers' decision to go for the second round of auctions in pursuit of higher value for the bankrupt company. NCLT in its order said the bench allows Torrent Investments' application and declared that the challenge mechanism for financial bids stood concluded as on December 21, 2022, with the bid of the applicant at Rs 8,640 crore being the highest.
Torrent Investments had filed a plea on January 9, requesting the tribunal to quash the lenders' plan to hold a fresh auction for the takeover of RCap.
Torrent Investment was the highest bidder offering Rs 8,640 crore in the last round of the 'challenge mechanism'. Reliance Capital has a consolidated debt of about Rs 40,000 crore.