Tribunal Rules Escrowed Mine Closure Funds Belong to Debtor, Must Be Included in Insolvency Process as CIRP Cost.

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....The Appellate Tribunal held that the Annual Mine Closure Cost (AMCC) deposited by the Corporate Debtor in an Escrow Account belongs to the Corporate Debtor and cannot be kept aside from the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP). The Escrow Agreement provided for the return of the entire AMCC amount to the Corporate Debtor after completing mine closure activities. Categorizing AMCC as a pre-CIRP due and allowing its recovery independently would contravene the moratorium u/s 14 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). AMCC should be considered a CIRP cost u/s 5(13) of the IBC for running the Corporate Debtor as a going concern. The Appellate Tribunal set aside the Adjudicating Authority's direction to keep AMCC aside, as it would give the Respondents an undue preference over other creditors, defeating the purpose of CIRP. The appeal was allowed, modifying the impugned order.....