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IL&FS Crisis

About IL&FS Crisis

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What is IL&FS crisis

Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) is a non-banking financial company (NBFC), or 'shadow bank'. Established over 30 years ago, the conglomerate funds infrastructure projects across India. Some of the projects it has helped develop are 9-km Chenani-Nashri tunnel (India’s longest road tunnel), Delhi-Noida Toll Bridge, Ranchi-Patratu Dam Road, Baleshwar-Kharagpur Expressway, Tripura Power Project, and Gujarat International Finance Tech-City (GIFT).
 
Among IL&FS shareholders are LIC, SBI, Japan's Orix Corporation, HDFC and CBI. The subsidiaries of IL&FS include transportation network subsidiary IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd (ITNL), engineering and procurement company IL&FS Engineering and Construction Co Ltd and financier IL&FS Financial Services Ltd.
 
IL&FS crisis: What went wrong for the shadow banker
 
IL&FS Financial Services fell short of cash and defaulted on several of its obligations. Even as new infrastructure projects dried up, IL&FS' running construction projects faced cost overruns amid delays in land acquisition and approvals. It defaulted on repayment of bank loans (including interest), term and short-term deposits and also failed to meet commercial paper redemption obligations. It reported that it had received notices for delays and defaults in servicing some of the inter-corporate deposits accepted by it. Following the defaults, rating agency ICRA downgraded the ratings of its short-term and long-term borrowing programmes. The defaults also jeopardised hundreds of investors, banks and mutual funds associated with IL&FS, and sparked panic among equity investors, even as several non-banking financial companies faced turmoil amid a default scare.
 
The IL&FS group operates over a hundred subsidiaries and is sitting on a debt of Rs 94,000 crore.
 
IL&FS's new board
 
In October 2018, the government constituted a new board as the old one was deemed to have failed to discharge its duties. Kotak Mahindra Bank Executive Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Uday Kotak, Tech Mahindra Vice-Chairman, Managing Director and CEO Vineet Nayyar, former Sebi chief G N Bajpai, former ICICI Bank chairman G C Chaturvedi, former IAS officers Malini Shankar and Nand Kishore were made members of the board. In the first few weeks of taking over, the board appointed its nominees on key subsidiaries, initiated austerity measures, began a full audit of standalone and consolidated accounts, formed a core operating committee under Nayyar and started to work towards a resolution plan.
 
The board, thereafter, appointed Arpwood Capital and J M Financial as financial as transaction advisors. It also roped in Alvarez & Marsal to maintain strict liquidity controls, manage stakeholders and help develop a resolution plan.
 
Investigation in the IL&FS case
 
Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) started a probe as there were huge procedural lapses at the NBFC.
 
On April 2, 2019, former vice-chairman of IL&FS, Hari Sankaran, was arrested by SFIO in Mumbai for granting loans to entities that were not creditworthy and thereby causing loss to the company and its creditors.
 
The initial SFIO probe also revealed that there were major lapses in Deloitte's audit of the IL&FS. SFIO investigation found it guilty of painting a rosy picture of IFIN despite being aware of the poor financial health of the company, triggering the ministry to seek a ban on the auditors.
 
On August 16, 2019, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed its first chargesheet in the so-called IL&FS money laundering case.
 
The prosecution complaint was filed in a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), charging former senior management personnel of IL&FS — Ravi Parthasarathy, Ramesh Bawa, Hari Sankaran, Arun Saha, and Ramchand Karunakaran — along with Aircel founder C Sivasankaran.
 
The ED also made provisional attachment of bank accounts and immovable property to the tune of Rs 570 crore held by these people. The chargesheet pointed out that the senior management had falsified the accounts and indulged in circuitous transactions. This was done ostensibly to maintain the credentials of IFIN, in order to continue receiving high remuneration and to artificially boost the balance sheet of IL&FS group. However, these activities led to further losses.
 
MNS chief Raj Thackeray questioned by ED
 
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray was questioned by ED in connection with the IL&FS crisis on August 22, 2019. Kohinoor CTNL was probed because it received loan and equity investments adding up to Rs 860 crore from IL&FS. It was set up by Unmesh Joshi, son of former Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi, Thackeray and builder Ranjan Shirodkar in 2005. ED sources said Kohinoor CTNL allegedly acquired a loan without adequate security and also defaulted on repayments.

Latest Updates on IL&FS Crisis

Parthasarathy was suffering from cancer and had been hospitalised in Mumbai since last November

Updated On: 27 Apr 2022 | 5:57 PM IST

With this, the firm exits technology business altogether; deal forms part of overall IL&FS Group resolution estimate of Rs 61,000 cr

Updated On: 26 Nov 2021 | 12:24 AM IST

The NCLT has approved GAIL (India) Ltd's acquisition of bankrupt Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services' 26 per cent stake in ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC), GAIL said on Friday.

Updated On: 05 Nov 2021 | 11:42 PM IST

Despite demands of action by the councillors of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram against IL&FS for flouting MCG norms during the house meeting held on July 30

Updated On: 10 Aug 2021 | 7:31 PM IST

IL&FS said that the eligible applicants have to submit the RFP by 6 pm, August 30, 2021

Updated On: 31 Jul 2021 | 12:58 PM IST

A stretched rescue process reveals critical deficiencies in India Inc's corporate layering and resolution mechanism worsened by the pandemic

Updated On: 21 Apr 2021 | 6:10 AM IST

Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) on Thursday said it has addressed aggregate group debt of Rs 43,000 crore so far and expects to cross Rs 51,000 crore by September 2021.

Updated On: 15 Apr 2021 | 3:48 PM IST

The Bill suggests that the government has learned from past mistake

Updated On: 26 Mar 2021 | 6:10 AM IST

India's 'Lehman moment' has meant that the high-teen growth phase for non-banker financers is over

Updated On: 26 Feb 2021 | 6:10 AM IST

Here's a selection of Business Standard opinion pieces for the day

Updated On: 26 Feb 2021 | 5:56 AM IST

Debt schemes take significant exposure in not-so-highly rated companies and had lost their appeal after April 2019

Updated On: 10 Feb 2021 | 10:18 PM IST

Reports suggest a potential recovery of 35 per cent from the bid process compared to an average recovery of seven per cent

Updated On: 12 Jan 2021 | 1:02 AM IST

The repayments by IL&FS Solar also cover tax and statutory dues

Updated On: 07 Jan 2021 | 3:05 PM IST

In view of the pandemic, and also in order to maintain adequate liquidity, NBFCs increased their cash and bank balances significantly during the year, RBI report said

Updated On: 30 Dec 2020 | 1:06 AM IST

Positive management outlook post Q2 results has tempted analysts to upgrade their rating

Updated On: 16 Dec 2020 | 12:33 AM IST

Process of inviting bids to start next week for sale in cash; loans to over 70 companies have turned bad

Updated On: 20 Nov 2020 | 12:28 AM IST

It has the potential to heighten the liquidity risks the sector is already facing after the IL&FS debacle, FSR said

Updated On: 25 Jul 2020 | 12:42 AM IST

The group has shared its estimates of debt to be addressed over the next three quarters

Updated On: 20 Jul 2020 | 7:48 PM IST

While bank credit to NBFCs has seen a rise of 30 per cent year on year, credit has mostly flown into larger NBFCs with good parentage and ones with better ALM positions.

Updated On: 12 Jun 2020 | 11:27 PM IST

The infrastructure is ready. Right regulations and tax regime are a must for its success as an international finance centre

Updated On: 07 Jun 2020 | 9:11 PM IST