Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications could be staring at insolvency as the Supreme Court on Thursday declined to grant it two weeks extra time to clear the Rs 5.5-billion dues of Ericsson. The deadline for the said repayment ends December 15.
The refusal by the top court to grant more time to RCom revives fears of corporate insolvency proceedings against the company. The Rs 5.5 billion due repayment agreement between RCom and Ericsson was reached in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). While asking RCom to clear the dues, NCLAT had said Ericsson could revive the insolvency petition against the company if it failed to pay within the stipulated deadline.
RCom had then approached the apex court seeking an extension of the deadline, which was initially September 30 and later December 15. The top court, however, had then made it clear that there would be no extensions beyond that. It had also directed RCom to pay Ericsson interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum for missing the September 30 deadline.
ALSO READ: RCom files contempt plea in SC against DoT for not approving spectrum sale
As part of debt reductions efforts, RCom had in December 2017 signed a Rs 250-billion deal with elder brother Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio. The deal included sale of assets mortgaged with different banks to avoid insolvency proceedings. The company expects to raise Rs 180 billion from sales of its wireless assets to RJio and real estate assets to Canada's Brookfield, and pare some of its Rs 460-billion debt.
For RCom, a lot also depends on Friday's hearing in the Supreme Court as the contempt plea the company has moved against the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for not giving the company a no objection certificate (NOC) clearing its spectrum and asset sale to Reliance Jio Infocomm is scheduled to be heard.
ALSO READ: RCom furnishes Rs 14 bn corporate bond, paves way for spectrum sale to Jio
The delay by DoT in clearing RCom's asset and spectrum sale to Jio was due to the government doing necessary due diligence of the Rs 14 billion corporate guarantee, the government told the court.
RCom had provided the DoT a corporate guarantee of its arm, Reliance Realty.
The apex court had on November 30 asked RCom to furnish a corporate guarantee of Rs 14 billion within 2 days, following which the DoT had to give it NOC for the RCom-Jio spectrum sale deal within seven days. The seven-day period expired on December 10.
ALSO READ: Clear dues of Rs 5.5 bn to Ericsson by Dec 15 or face penalty: SC to RCom
Following the end of the seven-day period, RCom had moved a contempt petition against DoT, which will be heard on Friday by the court.
In its plea on Thursday, RCom told the court that the payment to Ericsson would be done as soon as the DoT gave the required NOC for the sale to Jio. The apex court, however, refused to entertain its plea.
The refusal by the top court to grant more time to RCom revives fears of corporate insolvency proceedings against the company. The Rs 5.5 billion due repayment agreement between RCom and Ericsson was reached in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). While asking RCom to clear the dues, NCLAT had said Ericsson could revive the insolvency petition against the company if it failed to pay within the stipulated deadline.
RCom had then approached the apex court seeking an extension of the deadline, which was initially September 30 and later December 15. The top court, however, had then made it clear that there would be no extensions beyond that. It had also directed RCom to pay Ericsson interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum for missing the September 30 deadline.
ALSO READ: RCom files contempt plea in SC against DoT for not approving spectrum sale
As part of debt reductions efforts, RCom had in December 2017 signed a Rs 250-billion deal with elder brother Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio. The deal included sale of assets mortgaged with different banks to avoid insolvency proceedings. The company expects to raise Rs 180 billion from sales of its wireless assets to RJio and real estate assets to Canada's Brookfield, and pare some of its Rs 460-billion debt.
For RCom, a lot also depends on Friday's hearing in the Supreme Court as the contempt plea the company has moved against the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for not giving the company a no objection certificate (NOC) clearing its spectrum and asset sale to Reliance Jio Infocomm is scheduled to be heard.
ALSO READ: RCom furnishes Rs 14 bn corporate bond, paves way for spectrum sale to Jio
The delay by DoT in clearing RCom's asset and spectrum sale to Jio was due to the government doing necessary due diligence of the Rs 14 billion corporate guarantee, the government told the court.
RCom had provided the DoT a corporate guarantee of its arm, Reliance Realty.
The apex court had on November 30 asked RCom to furnish a corporate guarantee of Rs 14 billion within 2 days, following which the DoT had to give it NOC for the RCom-Jio spectrum sale deal within seven days. The seven-day period expired on December 10.
ALSO READ: Clear dues of Rs 5.5 bn to Ericsson by Dec 15 or face penalty: SC to RCom
Following the end of the seven-day period, RCom had moved a contempt petition against DoT, which will be heard on Friday by the court.
In its plea on Thursday, RCom told the court that the payment to Ericsson would be done as soon as the DoT gave the required NOC for the sale to Jio. The apex court, however, refused to entertain its plea.
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