India is planning new measures to clarify a landmark corporate bankruptcy law that was meant to bring the nation's largest corporate borrowers to heel, amid complaints it has become a “mockery of justice,” Nikkei Asia reported. The law giving more power to creditors was one of the Modi government’s signature reforms, but five years after it went into effect, banks are still taking big losses in bankruptcies, and the debt-resolution process has been plagued by delays and legal uncertainty.

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With businessman B.R. Shetty’s group having gone financially bankrupt, the State government on Thursday informed the Legislative Assembly that many dialysis centres in government hospitals across the State have become dysfunctional and efforts will be made to restore them in a month, The Hindu reported. In a reply to D.S. Suresh (BJP), Minister for Health and Family Welfare, K. Sudhakar said the previous government had outsourced services to B.R.

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Debt-stricken mobile carrier Vodafone Idea is looking at funding deals with potential investors after receiving a relief package from the Indian government, Capacity Media reported. The telecoms operator has a net debt of US$25.86 billion (1.91 trillion rupees), including government dues of 1.68 trillion rupees. The chairman of the company, Kumar Mangalam Birla, had previously offered to transfer the group’s entire shareholding to the government to help stave off collapse. Last week, the Indian government approved a relief package for the country's struggling telecoms sector.

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There have been many heated debates of late about the 90% or higher haircuts that lenders have taken in several high-profile bankruptcy resolutions, the New Indian Express reported. Erstwhile promoters, resolution professionals and even the committee of creditors have all been blamed by turns for the state of affairs. Opinion writers have written angry columns, and TV channels have carried heated panel discussions.

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Amazon has begun an investigation into allegations of corruption by its legal representatives in India and has placed a senior member of the team on leave, The Morning Context reported. The company later issued a statement, saying it does not tolerate corruption and will investigate all such allegations fully. The statement came in response to a report by The Morning Context, which said, citing three sources, that Amazon has begun an internal investigation into allegations that its legal representatives in India used legal fees paid by the company to pay bribes.

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In a rare plea, the chief judge at India’s bankruptcy appeals court petitioned the Supreme Court to let him work for three more days even after his term was cut short by the federal government, Bloomberg News reported. A.I.S. Cheema seeks three more days to enable him to give five verdicts and then retire, his lawyer told the Supreme Court Thursday. Cheema was, until last week, the acting chairman of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal due to retire Sept. 20, before the government abruptly named his replacement and cut short his term.

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In yet another setback for Vedanta's plans to acquire debt-ridden Videocon Industries, lenders which had agreed to Twin Star Technologies' (TST) resolution plan want to reconsider it, citing up to 95% haircuts, Times Now News reported. National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has sought a reply from Vedanta's subsidiary TST on a request by a Bank of Maharashtra-led Committee of Creditors (CoC), which wants a fresh round of bidding for the resolution plan. NCLAT will consider CoC's request alleging low payout on Sept. 27 as TST sought time to reply.

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The committee of creditors of Vasan Health Care Pvt. Ltd and the resolution professional, S. Rajendran, have gone on appeal before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) against the order rejecting extension of time frame under the insolvency process, The Hindu reported. Last month, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) said that the corporate insolvency resolution process for Vasan Health Care Pvt.
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India’s largest conglomerate the Tata Group has submitted a financial bid for state-run Air India Ltd. as the government tries to sell the money-losing carrier after two failed attempts, Bloomberg News reported. The bid was entered Wednesday by Tata Sons Ltd., the group holding company, which controls Jaguar Land Rover and owns a majority stake in AirAsia India, according to a Tata spokesperson. The bid has boosted prospects for the sale after the government sweetened the deal by allowing suitors to decide how much of the carrier’s debt they want to take on.
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Banks led by State Bank of India (SBI) have called on the Indian government to give debt-laden Vodafone Idea more time to clear its tax dues and spectrum fees, Reuters reported. An Indian court last year ordered the mobile carrier, a joint venture between the Indian unit of Britain’s Vodafone Group and Aditya Birla Group’s Idea Cellular, to pay just over $8 billion to the government to settle long-standing dues. Vodafone has a stake of about 44% in the company and Aditya Birla owns nearly 27%.
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