Armada (Singapore) Pte Ltd. v. Shah (In re Ashapura Minechem Ltd.)
Armada (Singapore) Pte Ltd. v. Shah (In re Ashapura Minechem Ltd.)
Opinion of the Court
OPINION AND ORDER
I. INTRODUCTION
Appellant Armada (Singapore) Pte Ltd., (“Armada”) appeals pursuant to section 158 of Title 28 of the United States Code from a Bench Decision of the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York granting Appellee Ashapura Mine-chem Ltd.’s (“Ashapura”) petition for recognition as a foreign main proceeding of an insolvency proceeding voluntarily commenced in India by Ashapura. For the reasons set forth below, the Bench Decision is affirmed.
II. BACKGROUND
Appellee Chetan Shah is the Managing Director of Ashapura Minechem Ltd., a mining and industrial business headquartered in Mumbai, India.
In the conduct of its business, Ashapura entered into maritime Contracts of Aff-reighment (“COAs”) to ship minerals to foreign ports with several international shipping companies including Appellant Armada (Singapore) Pte Ltd. (“Armada”), based in Singapore, and Eitzen Bulk A/S (“Eitzen”).
In June 2010, Armada filed a petition in the Southern District of NewATork for an order converting its arbitration award into a judgment against Ashapura.
In May 2011, Ashapura initiated proceedings before India’s Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (“BIFR”) to rehabilitate its finances under The Sick Industrial Companies Act (“SICA”) of 1985.
In October 2011, Ashapura’s Board of Directors authorized Shah to seek relief in bankruptcy court under Chapter 15 of Title ll.
Following that hearing, the bankruptcy court granted recognition as a foreign main proceeding and relief pursuant to section 1521(a) to Ashapura and granted a stay against the order enforcing the arbitration award-rulings which Armada now appeals.
III. LEGAL STANDARD
A. Appellate Jurisdiction
This court has jurisdiction to hear appeals from final orders issued by the Bankruptcy Court under sections 158(a)(1) and 1334 of Title 28.
B. Standard of Review
A district court functions as an appellate court in reviewing judgments rendered by bankruptcy courts.
C.Recognition of a Foreign Insolvency Proceeding
Chapter 15 of Title 11 governs all cross-border insolvency disputes, and specifically petitions for the recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings in the United States.
As a threshold matter, the appointed representative of a foreign debtor
(i) [the existence of] a proceeding; (ii) that is either judicial or administrative; (iii) that is collective in nature; (iv) that is in a foreign country; (v) that is authorized or conducted under a law related to insolvency or the adjustment of debts; (vi) in which the debtor’s assets and affairs are subject to the control or supervision of a foreign court; and (vii) which proceeding is for the purpose of reorganization or liquidation.34
Failure to meet the burden of proof on any one of the definitional elements requires denial of the petition.
1. A Collective Proceeding
To be entitled to Chapter 15 recognition, petitioner must prove that the proceeding at issue was collective in nature. First and foremost, “[a] collective proceeding is one that considers the rights and obligations of all creditors”
[T]he word ‘collective’ ... contemplates both the consideration and eventual treatment of claims of various types of creditors, as well as the possibility that creditors may take part in the foreign action.... In determining whether a particular foreign action is collective ... it is appropriate to consider both the law governing the foreign action and the parameters of the particular proceeding as defined in, for example, orders of a foreign tribunal overseeing the action.37
“A collective proceeding is designed to provide equitable treatment to creditors, by treating similarly situated creditors in the same way, and to maximize the value of the debtor’s assets for the benefit of all
Other characteristics of a collective proceeding include: adequate notice to creditors under applicable foreign law,
2. Debtor’s Assets and Affairs Subject to Foreign Court’s Control or Supervision
Petitioner must also prove that the debtor’s assets and affairs are subject to a foreign court’s jurisdiction. Section 1502 of the Bankruptcy Code defines “foreign court” as “a judicial or other authority competent to control or supervise a foreign
Supervision or control of the company’s affairs is not a demanding standard. The foreign court need not control the day-to-day operations of the debtor.
3. Proceeding Under a Law Related to Insolvency
Petitioner also carries the burden of proving that the SICA filing was a proceeding “authorized or conducted under a law related to insolvency or the adjustment of debts.”
4. Public Policy Exception
Finally, under Chapter 15, a court may “refus[e] to take an action governed by this chapter if the action would be manifestly contrary to the public policy of
A prerequisite to applying section 1506 is that there exist a conflict between foreign and U.S. law — however “that fact alone is not dispositive.”
Courts have adhered to two principles in determining whether a fundamental policy is at risk: “[d]eference to a foreign proceeding should not be afforded in a [e]hapter 15 proceeding where the procedural fairness of the foreign proceeding is in doubt or cannot be cured by the adoption of additional protections”
As to the first principle, Asha-pura is correct that the mere absence of certain procedural or constitutional rights does not by itself satisfy section 1506. For instance, section 1506 does not bar recognition of a proceeding that lacks a right to a jury.
IV. DISCUSSION
Armada contends that Ashapura has not carried the burden of proving several of the requirement of section 101(23).
A. Ashapura Met Its Burden of Proving that the BIFR Proceeding Was Collective in Nature
The main test of whether a proceeding is collective is whether all creditors’ interests were considered in the proceeding. The Bankruptcy Court found that the SICA statute does not provide a formal mechanism for participation by unsecured creditors.
Armada insisted at the November 18 hearing that “[l]earned authorities on Indian law ... say that there are no rights for unsecured creditors to participate in a SICA reorganization ... while a stay is in effect, precluding unsecured creditors from taking action that they would otherwise be taking.”
However, Ashapura insisted that whatever their statutory rights, in practice creditors “have the right to negotiate the scheme of arrangement — or scheme of rehabilitation”
Bhatt, Ashapura’s witness, testified that unsecured creditors can “make an application to implead themselves as a party to the proceedings.”
The Bankruptcy Court found that the evidence adduced by Armada at the hearing — internet printouts — merely highlighted criticisms of SICA, without demonstrating that the process itself was not collective.
The remaining legal question is whether, given the lack of a formal statutory mechanism for creditor participation, the Bankruptcy Court was correct to conclude from the fact that creditors participated in this proceeding in practice that it was collective in nature. The law is clear that “[i]n determining whether a particular foreign action is collective ... it is appropriate to consider both the law governing the foreign action and the parameters of the particular proceeding.”
Further, as the Bankruptcy Court stated during the hearing, “even if there were no opportunity by practice and custom for unsecured creditors to participate, I think this may still be a collective proceeding, because it involves parties other than just one class of creditor or just one party-in-interest.”
The other relevant factors in the analysis — notice, appellate review and statutory priorities for the distribution of assets— also favor a conclusion that the proceeding was collective. As far as notice is con
As far as appellate review is concerned, the Bankruptcy Court found that there was a formal mechanism for court review of adverse determinations. Creditors “ha[ve] the ability to appeal adverse determinations made by the BIFR ... within the Indian judicial system.”
As for statutory priorities, Ashapura again asserted at the hearing that creditors have “a right [at the winding up stage] to a distribution pari passu with other unsecured creditors to the extent of the allowed amounts of their claim. Just like in the United States, they do come after secured creditors and ... various governmental parties.”
Ultimately, the Bankruptcy Court concluded that “the availability of appellate review and the ability of creditors to participate before the BIFR demonstrate that systematically SICA functions as a collective process that allows for creditor participation.”
B. Ashapura Met Its Burden of Proving that Its Assets and Affairs Are Subject to the Control or Supervision of a Foreign Court
Because the Bankruptcy Court omitted to address this element of the statute in its decision, I consider this factor de novo.
1. BIFR Is a Court Under the Meaning of This Statute
Ashapura claims that BIFR constitutes a court under the meaning of this statute because it is “an administrative board which exercises powers similar to a court in India and oversees the possible rehabilitation of debtors under its authority ... similar to the way that bankruptcy courts oversee Chapter 11 cases in the
2. BIFR Had Control or Supervision over Ashapura’s Assets and Affairs
Armada does not dispute that BIFR controlled Ashapura’s “assets” during the SICA proceeding, only that Asha-pura’s “affairs” were left unsupervised.
Armada argued at the hearing that because Ashapura is an international company “with affairs in many countries”
By contrast, Ashapura is correct that the fact that the SICA proceeding “leaves the Foreign Representative and Ashapura Board of Directors in control of its business and operations”
C. Ashapura Met Its Burden of Proving that the SICA Filing Is a Proceeding Under a Law Related to Insolvency
The Bankruptcy Court asserted that SICA “on its face, constitutes a law that relates to insolvency or adjustment of debt within the meaning of [s]ection 101(23).”
D. Armada Did Not Meet Its Burden of Showing that the Public Policy Exception Under Section 1506 Applies
Armada carried the burden of proof on demonstrating that granting recognition was manifestly contrary to U.S. policy under the meaning of section 1506. The Bankruptcy Court found that Armada did not meet that burden: “none of the evidence offered by [Armada] succeeded in proving [that] key point in dispute.”
Y. CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, the decision of the Bankruptcy Court is AFFIRMED. The Clerk of the Court is directed to close this appeal [docket # 1] and this ease.
SO ORDERED.
. See In re Ashapura Minechem Ltd.., No. 11 B. 14668, 2011 WL 5855475, at *1 (Bankr.S.D.N.Y. Nov. 22, 2011).
. See Amended Response Brief of Appellee Ashapura Minechem Ltd. ("Appellee Mem.”) at 15.
. See Opening Brief of Appellant Armada (Singapore) Pte Ltd. ("Appellant Mem.”) at 10.
. See In re Ashapura Minechem Ltd., 2011 WL 5855475, at *2.
. See id.; Appellee Mem. at 12.
. See Appellee Mem. at 12.
. See id.
. See In re Ashapura Minechem Ltd., 2011 WL 5855475, at *2.
. See Petition for an Order Confirming Foreign Arbitral Awards, Armada (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. v. Ashapura Minechem Ltd. ("Armada”), No. 10 Civ. 4856, 2010 WL 2652387 (S.D.N.Y. June 22, 2010) (Docket No. 1).
. See Order, Armada (July 29, 2010) (Docket No. 14).
. See Appellee Mem. at 15.
. See In re Ashapura, 2011 WL 5855475, at *1.
. See Appellant Mem. at 11.
. See In re Ashapura, 2011 WL 5855475, at *1.
. See Recognition Hearing Transcript ("Tr.”) 93:23-94:4, Nov. 18, 2011.
. See In re Ashapura, 2011 WL 5855475, at *1.
. See Appellee Mem. at 15.
. See Appellant Mem. at 14.
. See In re Ashapura, 2011 WL 5855475, at *1.
. See Tr. 7:23-25.
. See id. 7:25-8:1.
. See In re Ashapura, 2011 WL 5855475, at *4.
. See id. at *5.
. See In re Fairfield Sentry Ltd., No. 10 Civ. 7311, 2011 WL 4357421, at *2-3, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 105770, at *7 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 15, 2011) (treating a Chapter 15 recognition as a final order for purposes of appeal). Accord In re Bear Stearns High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Master Fund, Ltd., 389 B.R. 325, 327 (S.D.N.Y. 2008) (affirming denial of recognition as a "final” order).
. See In re Sanshoe Worldwide Corp., 993 F.2d 300, 305 (2d Cir. 1993).
. See Fed. R. Bankr.P. 8013 ("Findings of fact ... shall not be set aside unless clearly erroneous, and due regard shall be given to the opportunity of the bankruptcy court to judge the credibility of the witnesses.”). Accord In re Cody, Inc., 338 F.3d 89, 94 (2d Cir. 2003).
. See In re Bear Stearns, 389 B.R. at 333.
. See Richmond Leasing Co. v. Capital Bank, N.A., 762 F.2d 1303, 1308 (5th Cir. 1985) (citing Anderson v. City of Bessemer City, N.C., 470 U.S. 564, 105 S.Ct. 1504, 84 L.Ed.2d 518 (1985)).
. In re Manville Forest Prods. Corp., 896 F.2d 1384, 1388 (2d Cir. 1990) (quoting United States v. U.S. Gypsum Co., 333 U.S. 364, 395, 68 S.Ct. 525, 92 L.Ed. 746 (1948)).
. See 11 U.S.C. § 1501(b) (2005).
. Id. § 1501(a).
. In re Gold & Honey, Ltd., 410 B.R. 357, 366 (Bankr.E.D.N.Y. 2009) (quotation marks omitted).
. See 11 U.S.C. §§ 1501(b)(1), 1515(a), 1517(a). Accord In re ABC Learning Centres Ltd., 445 B.R. 318, 327 (Bankr.D.Del. 2010) ("As a threshold matter, this Court must first determine whether the Liquidation Proceedings are 'foreign proceedings' as defined by [section] 101(23), as only 'foreign proceedings’ are eligible for recognition under Chapter 15.”); In re Betcorp Ltd., 400 B.R. 266, 275 (Bankr.D.Nev. 2009) ("As a preliminary matter ... the court must determine whether [debtor's winding up is a 'foreign proceeding’ within the meaning of [section] 101(23).”).
. In re Betcorp Ltd., 400 B.R. at 277. See 11 U.S.C. § 101(23) (defining a "foreign proceeding” as "a collective judicial or administrative proceeding in a foreign country, including an interim proceeding, under a law relating to insolvency or adjustment of debt in which proceeding the assets and affairs of the debtor are subject to control or supervision by a foreign court, for the purpose of reorganization or liquidation”).
. See In re Betcorp Ltd., 400 B.R. at 276-77.
. Id. at 281 (emphasis added) (holding that a voluntary winding up "fits this 'collective' criterion,” whereas "a receivership remedy instigated at the request, and for the benefit, of a single secured creditor” does not). Accord In re British Am. Ins. Co., 425 B.R. 884, 902 (Bankr.S.D.Fla. 2010) ("For a proceeding to be collective within the meaning of section 101(23), it must be instituted for the benefit of creditors generally rather than for a single creditor or class of creditors.”); In re ABC Learning Centres Ltd., 445 B.R. at 328 (citing as a provision of the foreign insolvency statute that evinced the collective nature of the proceeding in question “[section] 501 (liquidator has a duty to consider the rights of all creditors in distributing the corporation’s property)”); In re Bd. of Dirs. of Hopewell Int’l Ins., Ltd., 275 B.R. 699, 707 (S.D.N.Y. 2002) (deeming a "scheme of arrangement” for creditors to file claims collective in nature because all creditors could object to the scheme); In re Gold & Honey, Ltd., 410 B.R. at 368 (finding a proceeding non-collective that was “more akin to a[n] individual creditor’s replevin or repossession action than it is to a reorganization or liquidation by an independent trustee”).
.In re British Am. Ins. Co., 425 B.R. at 902.
. U.N. Comm'n on Int’l Law, Legislative Guide on Insolvency Law, ¶ 35 (2005) http:// www.uncitral.org/pdf/english/texts/insolven/ 05-80722_Ebook.pdf.
. 11 U.S.C. § 1501.
. In re British Am. Ins. Co., 425 B.R. at 902 (quoting U.N. Comm'n on Int'l Law, UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency with Guide to Enactment, ¶ 23 (1997) http://www.uncitral.org/pdf/english/texts/ insolven/insolvency-e.pdf).
. See id. at 903 ("[The judicial manager] ultimately projects that general creditors of BAICO will receive no distribution in the eventual winding up of the company due to the priority accorded to policyholders under Bahamas law. However, by addressing the potential distribution to other creditors [the judicial manager] acknowledges his overall duty to creditors in general.”).
. See In re ABC Learning Centres Ltd., 445 B.R. at 329 ("The notice provided to creditors is a proper consideration when assessing the collective nature of a proceeding.”).
. See, e.g., id. at 328 (citing as another statutory provision that evinced a proceeding's collective nature "[section] 555 (subject to priorities, preferences, etc., debts and claims rank equally and are to be paid pro rata)”). Accord In re Gold & Honey, Ltd., 410 B.R. at 372 (noting that one of the "most fundamental policies and purposes of the automatic stay” is "[to] provid[e] for the efficient and orderly distribution of a debtor's assets to all creditors in accordance with their relative priorities”); U.N. Comm'n on Int'l Law, Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency: The Judicial Perspective, ¶ 66 (2012) ("The notion of a 'collective' insolvency proceeding is based on the ability of a single insolvency representative to control the realization of assets for the purposes of pro rata distribution among all creditors (subject to domestic statutory priorities ).” (emphasis added)).
. See In re ABC Learning Centres Ltd., 445 B.R. at 329 ("[Section] 1321 of the Act provides that a person including creditors aggrieved by any act, omission or decision of ... a liquidator may appeal to an Australian court and the court may confirm, reverse or modify the act or decision....” (quotation marks omitted)).
. See In re British Am. Ins. Co., 425 B.R. at 902 (finding a foreign proceeding alleged to be for the sole benefit of a single class of creditors a collective proceeding, even though unsecured creditors did not receive notice of actions brought before the court, because they would receive notice at the winding up phase and they were statutorily allowed to be heard in the judicial management process). Accord In re ABC Learning Centres Ltd., 445 B.R. at 329 (finding that notice was adequate where it was proper under the relevant foreign statute and the creditor had actual notice of the creditor’s meeting as well as the ability to appeal the outcome of the proceeding at the Australian court).
. 11 U.S.C. § 1502 (emphasis added).
. See In re Tradex Swiss AG, 384 B.R. 34, 42 (Bankr.D.Mass. 2008) ("Even if the decree of the [Swiss Federal Banking Commission] were not subject to appeal to the Swiss Federal Administrative Court ... the SFBC itself comes within the definition of a foreign court.").
. See In re Gold & Honey, Ltd., 410 B.R. at 371 (denying recognition when the party demonstrated control over debtor's assets but not affairs).
. See Appellee Mem. at 21.
. See In re Oversight and Control Commission of Avanzit ("Avanzit”), S.A., 385 B.R. 525, 531-32 (Bankr.S.D.N.Y. 2008).
. Id. at 534 (emphasis added).
. In re ABC Learning Centres Ltd., 445 B.R. at 332 ("Most actions in a U.S. Bankruptcy Court are upon the motion of an interested party and are not undertaken sua sponte, U.S. Bankruptcy Courts also give deference to business judgments and do not direct the daily activities of debtors, and the majority of U.S. bankruptcies proceed with minimal court involvement.”).
. Id. at 327.
. In re Betcorp Ltd., 400 B.R. at 282.
. Id.
. 11 U.S.C. § 1506.
. See Telenor Mobile Commc’ns AS v. Storm LLC, 524 F.Supp.2d 332, 356 (S.D.N.Y. 2007) (holding that the party opposing enforcement of an arbitration award carries the burden of proving that its enforcement would violate public policy pursuant to the public policy exception of the New York Arbitration Convention), aff'd, 584 F.3d 396 (2d Cir. 2009).
. Micron Tech., Inc. v. Qimonda AG (In re Qimonda), 433 B.R. 547, 568 (E.D.Va. 2010) (quotation marks and citation omitted).
. Lavie v. Ran (In re Ran), 607 F.3d 1017, 1021 (5th Cir. 2010). Accord Ackermann v. Levine, 788 F.2d 830, 842 (2d Cir. 1986); In re Toft, 453 B.R. 186, 195 (Bankr.S.D.N.Y. 2011) (“[T]hose courts that have considered the public policy exception codified in [section] 1506 have uniformly read it narrowly and applied it sparingly.”); In re Ephedra Prods. Liab. Litig., 349 B.R. 333, 336 (S.D.N.Y. 2006).
. See In re Gold & Honey, Ltd., 410 B.R. at 368 (however as the Bankruptcy Court decision being appealed noted, this case is unique in that the bank in question “proceeded in the Israeli Receivership Proceeding in spite of and in the face of [the] Court’s Stay Order”); In re Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V., No. 11 B. 33335, 2012 WL 2138112, at *13 (Bankr.N.D.Tex. June 13, 2012) (where the rehabilitation scheme wholly extinguished third-party claims).
. In re Qimonda, 433 B.R. at 570.
. Id.
. See In re Ephedra, 349 B.R. at 335-36 ("Federal courts have enforced against U.S. citizens foreign judgments rendered by foreign courts for whom the very idea of a jury trial is foreign.”).
. See id. at 335 (ultimately rejecting these due process arguments “because the Ontario Court adopted amendments to the Canadian order that cured the due process problems”).
. In re Toft, 453 B.R. 186, 194 (Bankr.S.D.N.Y. 2011) (citing In re Metcalfe & Mansfield Alt. Invs., 421 B.R. 685, 697 (Bankr.S.D.N.Y. 2010)).
. See Appellant Mem. at 16.
. See id.
. See In re Ashapura, 2011 WL 5855475, at *3.
. Id.
. Tr. 25:2-8.
. Id. 154:22-23.
. Id. 10:19-20.
. Id. 10:23-11:1.
. Id. 45:8-9.
. See id. 45:11-14.
. See id. 45:18-22.
. See id. 52:23-53:9.
. See id. 62:8-14.
. See id. 48:5-9.
. See id. 48:1-9.
. See id. 48:24-49:2.
. See In re Ashapura, 2011 WL 5855475, at *4.
. Id. 108:2-4.
. In re British Am. Ins. Co., 425 B.R. at 902.
. Tr. 157:15-19.
. See In re Ashapura Minechem Ltd., 2011 WL 5855475, at *3.
. See Tr. 104:19-20.
. Id.
. In re Ashapura Minechem Ltd., 2011 WL 5855475, at *3.
. See Tr. 48:8-9 ("From BIFR, you can always appeal to the appellate authority.”).
. Id. 11:2-6.
. Id. 117:1-3.
. See Reply Brief of Appellant Armada (Singapore) Pte Ltd. ("Reply Mem.”) at 5-6.
. In re Ashapura Minechem Ltd., 2011 WL 5855475, at *3.
. Appellee Mem. at 21-22. See also Declaration of Rajesh Bohra ("Bohra Deck”) at 7 ("The BIFR is considered a civil court.”).
. Moreover, before BIFR can order the winding up of "sick” company, it must first get approval from the High Court of India. See Bohra Deck at 11.
. See Appellant Mem. at 18. Accord Tr. 26:11-12 ("Its assets, no doubt, are subject to the control of the BIFR.”).
. See Reply Mem. at 9 (citing Appellee Mem. at 21 ("The BIFR is considered ... custodian of all the assets of the sick industrial company.... Once the company is before the BIFR ... the company cannot sell its assets without prior permission of the BIFR.” (quotation marks omitted))).
. Appellee Mem. at 21.
. Tr. 161:1-2.
. Id. 123:22-23.
. Id. 161:1-3.
. I note that Armada omits this argument from its brief.
. Appellee Mem. at 21 (quotation marks omitted).
. In re ABC Learning Centres Ltd., 445 B.R. at 332.
. Bohra Decl. at 8.
. See id. at 10.
. See id. (citing Board for Indus. & Fin. Reconstruction, Guidelines for Preparation
. See Bohra Decl. at 10.
. In re Ashapura Minechem Ltd., 2011 WL 5855475, at *1.
. Declaration of Mayur Bhatt, ¶ 15.
. See Bohra Deck at 7 ("A number of measures, which can be considered rehabilitation/revivaVrestructuring in nature, have been provided in section 18 of SICA, and the Operating Agency ... may consider the various such measures while preparing the draft rehabilitation scheme....”).
. In re Ashapura Minechem Ltd., 2011 WL 5855475, at *8.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In re ASHAPURA MINECHEM LTD., Debtor. Armada (Singapore) Pte Ltd. v. Chetan Shah, in his Capacity as the Foreign Representative of Ashapura Minechem Ltd.
- Cited By
- 12 cases
- Status
- Published