For now, Jaypee lenders unlikely to entertain possible Adani bid

PTI Updated - April 22, 2019 at 08:48 PM.

Motorists and pedestrians pass residential buildings under construction at the Jaypee Wish Town Project, developed by Jaypee Infratech Ltd., in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India, on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. Fifteen miles east of Indias capital lies Jaypee Wish Town, a sprawling 1,162-acre site spotted with unfinished residential towers that embody the human cost of the nations bad-loan mess and point to the difficulty of resolving it. Photographer: Prashanth Vishwanathan/Bloomberg

Lenders of debt-ridden Jaypee Infratech are unlikely to seek any fresh offers, including from Adani Group till the current round of the bidding process is complete under the insolvency law, sources said.

Last week, the Adani Group threw its hat in the ring by expressing interest in submitting a bid to acquire Jaypee Infratech and deliver over 20,000 housing units to aggrieved home buyers.

Jaypee Infratech’s Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) Anuj Jain informed last week that a meeting of the committee of creditors (CoC) will be held on April 26.

The CoC will discuss the revised bids of NBCC and Suraksha group, which have been asked to sweeten their offers.

Sources said that under the insolvency law, lenders are barred from entertaining fresh bids for any company till the existing bidding process is complete.

The second round of Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is under way.

The Adani Group had submitted its resolution plan in the first round of the CIRP, which was not successful.

Last year, in the first round, lenders rejected the highest bid of ₹7,350 crore submitted by Lakshdweep, part of Suraksha group, as the offer was found to be substantially lower than Jaypee’s net worth and assets.

In the current round, NBCC and the Suraksha Group have offered Jaypee’s land parcels for settling debt as well as monetise Yamuna Expressway that connects Noida and Agra in Uttar Pradesh. NBCC has offered ₹500 crore as upfront payment while Suraksha only ₹20 crore.

Last week, promoters of the crisis-hit Jaypee Group made a fresh attempt to retain control over its arm Jaypee Infratech by seeking the support of homebuyers for its debt resolution plan submitted under the IBC.

Jaypee group chairman Manoj Gaur apologised to thousands of distressed homebuyers and promised to infuse ₹2,000 crore to complete pending apartments over the next four years.

The Jaypee Group, in April 2018, had also submitted a ₹10,000-crore plan before the lenders to revive Jaypee Infratech, but that was not accepted.

Jain, the IRP of Jaypee Infratech, had in October 2018 initiated the second round of bidding to revive the company following directions from the NCLT. The realty firm has an outstanding debt of nearly ₹9,800 crore.

Published on April 22, 2019 15:16