Préstamos o depósitos de miembros o accionistas | Ley de Sociedades de 2013 - Parte 2

Apart from Loans from Banks and NBFCs, companies do have options to borrow funds from shareholders or members. However, since funds are involved of the shareholders, therefore, company law contains detailed provisions related to loans and deposits from Member or shareholders. Companies are required to follow detailed procedure to obtain deposits and also are required to repay the same within committed time.

Part-1 of this article can be read here.

In continuation of last article, following are the additional provisions and rules applicable on borrowing from Members or shareholders:

1. Security Against Charge in case of Secured Deposits

• In case of secured deposit, every company shall provide for security by way of a charge on its assets excluding intangible assets of the company.
• Such charge is created for the due repayment of the amount of deposit and interest thereon.
• Amount of charge shall not be less than the amount remaining unsecured by the deposit insurance.
• Amount of deposit and interest thereon shall not exceed the market value of such assets as assessed by a registered valuer.
• The Company shall ensure that amount of security deposit and value of Deposit insurance is not less than amount of deposit and interest thereon.

2. Trustees for Secured Deposits

a. Appointment of Trustee for Depositors

• In case the company is inviting secured deposits, the company shall appoint one or more trustees for creating security for deposits.
• Such trustees shall be appointed prior to issuance of circular or Advertisement for inviting deposits.
• Prior written consent is required to be obtained from trustee prior to their appointment.
• Trust deed shall be executed in Form DPT-2 at least 7 days prior to issuing the circular or advertisement.

b. Persons can’t be appointed as Trustees

• As per Rule 7(3) of The Companies (Acceptance of Deposits) Rules, following person can’t be appointed as trustee including a company that is in the business of providing trusteeship services, if the proposed trustee -
  • is a director, key managerial personnel or any other officer or an employee of the company or of its holding, subsidiary or associate company or a depositor in the company;
  • is indebted to the company, or its subsidiary or its holding or associate company or a subsidiary of such holding company;
  • has any material pecuniary relationship with the company;
  • has entered into any guarantee arrangement in respect of principal debts secured by the deposits or interest thereon;
  • is related to any person specified in clause (a) above

c. Removal of Trustee

• No trustee shall be removed after the issue of circular or advertisement and before the expiry of his term.
• However, he can be removed with the consent of all the directors present at a meeting of the board.
• Provided that in case the company is required to have independent directors, at least one independent director shall be present in such meeting of the Board.

d. Duties of Trustees

Every person appointed as trustee for secured deposit is required to fulfill following duties:

1. Ensure that the assets against which charge is created alongwith amount of deposit insurance is sufficent to cover the repayment of the principal amount of secured deposit and interest thereon.
2. Get Satisfied that circular or advertisement inviting deposits does not contain any information which is against the provisions of the Act;
3. ensure that the company does not commit any breach of covenants and provisions of the trust deed;
4. Take reasonable steps in case of any breach of covenants of the trust deed;
5. Call meetings of deposits as and when required.
6. Supervise the implementation of the conditions regarding creation of security for deposits and the terms of deposit insurance;
7. Take necessary actions in case security becomes enforceable;
8. Take necessary actions for protection of interest of depositors and to resolve their grievances.

e. Meeting of Depositors

The trustee shall call a meeting of all the depositors on-

1. Receipt of request signed by atleast 1/10th of depositors in value for the time being outstanding;
2. Happening of any event which is a default and which may affect the interest of depositors in opinion of trustee.

3. Register of Depositors

• Every company accepting deposits shall maintain a registered at its registered office wherein following information shall be entered of each depositor;
  • name, address and PAN of the depositors;
  • particulars of guardian, in case of a minor;
  • particulars of the nominee;
  • Deposit receipt number;
  • date and the amount of each deposit;
  • duration of the deposit and the date on which each deposit is repayable;
  • Rate of Interest
  • due date for payment of interest;
  • Instructions for payment of interest and for non-deduction of TDS, if any;
  • date or dates on which the payment of interest shall be made;
  • particulars of security or charge created for repayment of deposits;

• La información en el registro de depósitos deberá actualizarse en un plazo de 7 días a partir de la fecha de emisión del recibo;
• Dicho registro debe conservarse durante al menos 8 años a partir del ejercicio financiero en el que se realice el último asiento en el mismo.

4. Declaración anual

• Toda empresa a la que se apliquen estas normas debe presentar una declaración anual en el Formulario DPT-3 ante el Registro Mercantil antes del 30 de junio de cada año.
• Dicha declaración se presentará en el Formulario DPT-3 junto con el pago de la tasa correspondiente.
• Este formulario deberá contener la información a fecha de 31 de marzo de ese año, debidamente auditada por el auditor de la empresa, y se deberá presentar una declaración al respecto firmada por dicho auditor.

5. Divulgación en los estados financieros

• Toda empresa, a excepción de las sociedades privadas, deberá revelar en sus estados financieros el importe recibido de sus directores.
• Toda sociedad privada deberá revelar en sus estados financieros el importe recibido de sus directores y de los familiares de estos.

6. Consecuencias del incumplimiento

1. Intereses de demora por retraso en el reembolso de depósitos

• De conformidad con la Regla 17 del Reglamento de Sociedades (Aceptación de Depósitos), en caso de que los depósitos vencidos y reclamados permanezcan impagados, la empresa deberá abonar un interés de demora del 18% anual por el periodo de retraso.

2. Solicitud ante el Tribunal

• Cuando una empresa no reembolse los depósitos o los intereses devengados, el depositante podrá solicitar al Tribunal que ordene a la empresa el pago de la suma adeudada o la indemnización por cualquier pérdida o daño sufrido por el depositante debido a dicho impago.

3. Daños y perjuicios por fraude

• Si los depósitos se han aceptado con la intención de defraudar a los depositantes o con cualquier fin fraudulento, todo directivo de la empresa responsable de la aceptación de dicho depósito será personalmente responsable, sin limitación de responsabilidad alguna, de las pérdidas o daños sufridos por los depositantes.
• Asimismo, la persona o grupo de personas que haya sufrido pérdidas como resultado del incumplimiento de la empresa en el reembolso de los depósitos podrá iniciar acciones legales o procedimientos judiciales.

4. Sanciones por incumplimiento

• Si una empresa acepta o solicita depósitos contraviniendo las disposiciones de la Ley de Sociedades, o si no reembolsa el depósito o los intereses correspondientes en el plazo especificado, entonces:
  • Además del importe del depósito y los intereses, la empresa será sancionada con una multa equivalente a la menor de las siguientes cantidades: el doble del importe del depósito aceptado o 10 millones de rupias (INR 1 Crore). Dicha multa podrá ascender hasta los 100 millones de rupias (INR 10 Crores).
• Asimismo, todo directivo responsable será sancionado con una pena de prisión de hasta 7 años y una multa no inferior a 2,5 millones de rupias (INR 25 Lacs) ni superior a 20 millones de rupias (INR 2 Crores).

• Además, si una empresa o cualquier otra persona contraviene alguna disposición de estas normas para la que no se haya previsto una sanción específica, la empresa y todo directivo responsable serán sancionados con una multa de hasta 5.000 rupias (INR 5.000). En caso de infracción continuada, se impondrá una multa adicional de hasta 500 rupias (INR 500) por cada día transcurrido tras el primer día en que persista la infracción.

7. Otras disposiciones

a. Alteración de las condiciones de los depósitos

• De conformidad con la Regla 3(7) del Reglamento de Sociedades (Aceptación de Depósitos), una empresa no puede reservarse el derecho a alterar las condiciones de los depósitos en perjuicio o detrimento del depositante.

b. No se pueden realizar depósitos con fondos prestados

• No se puede aceptar ni renovar ningún depósito a menos que se reciba una declaración del depositante confirmando que dicho depósito no se ha realizado con dinero prestado por otra persona.

c. Issuance of Depository Receipt to Depositor

• Upon acceptance or newel of deposit, every company shall issue to the depositor a receipt for the amount received by the company.
• Such receipt should be issued within 21 days from the date of receipt of money or realisation of cheque or date of renewal.
• Such receipt shall contain:
  • the date of deposit;
  • Name and address of the Depositor
  • Amount received as deposits;
  • Rate of Interest and
  • the date on which the deposit is repayable.