Tatas complete acquisition of Bhushan Steel; deal helps fraud-hit PNB offset some losses from Nirav Modi scam

Bamnipal Steel Ltd (BNPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Steel, has successfully completed the acquisition of a controlling stake, of 72.65 percent, in Bhushan Steel Ltd (BSL). Tata Steel Ltd had won the bid to acquire debt-laden Bhushan Steel Ltd (BSL) in an insolvency auction. The bankrupt firm was among the 12 stressed assets that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had referred for NCLT proceedings last year. “BNPL has successfully completed the acquisition of controlling stake of 72.65 percent in BSL in accordance with the approved resolution plan under the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 (IBC) which has been managed by Vijaykumar V lyer, Partner, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP, in his capacity as the resolution professional,” Tata Steel said in a statement. [caption id=“attachment_3271838” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The admitted CIRP cost and employee dues have been paid as required under IBC, it said. Further, settlement of the amounts equivalent to Rs 35,200 crore towards financial creditors of BSL is being undertaken as per the terms of the resolution plan and corresponding transaction documents, the company said. Tata Steel said Rs 1,200 crore will be paid to operational creditors of BSL over a period of 12 months as per their admitted claims and as per the terms of the approved resolution plan. “The investment from BNPL in BSL has been done through a combination of an equity of Rs 158.89 crore and inter-corporate loan of Rs 34,973.69 crore. Additionally, Rs 100 crore has been paid by BNPL to the financial creditors of BSL as consideration for novation of remaining the financial debt of BSL. “The acquisition is being financed through a combination of external bridge loan of Rs 16,500 crore availed by BNPL and balance amount through investment by Tata Steel in BNPL. The bridge loan availed by BNPL is expected to be replaced by debt raised at BSL over time,” the company said. The nominees of BNPL have been appointed on the Board of BSL and the existing directors of BSL are deemed to have resigned from its Board as per the terms of the approved resolution plan, it said. “As per the resolution plan approved by NCLT, BNPL shall be classified as the promoter of BSL, and the existing promoters/promoter group shall be re-classified from promoters/promoter group to public shareholders of BSL for the purposes of SEBI…” Tata Steel added. Some relief for PNB The deal will provide some relief to fraud-hit Punjab National Bank (PNB), the term loan consortium leader to Bhushan Steel. PNB’s exposure reportedly stands at Rs 4,900 crore. A good chunk of that amount will be paid to the lender, helping it partly offset the losses incurred from the over Rs 14,000 crore letters of undertaking (LoUs) scam, allegedly perpetrated by billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and their firms.