根据《外汇管理法》（FEMA）对违规和违法行为进行和解

1. 什么是和解（Compounding）

和解是指违规方自愿承认违规事实，并进一步认罪以寻求补救的过程。对于除《1999年外汇管理法》（FEMA）第3(a)条规定以外的任何违反该法案条款的行为，当事人均可通过和解来降低交易成本，寻求救济。

换句话说，和解意味着“以支付金钱的方式来解决问题，以代替其他法律责任”。

《2000年外汇（和解程序）规则》以及印度储备银行（RBI）于2016年1月1日发布的关于“FEMA项下违规行为和解”的第4/2015-16号总体指导意见，为FEMA项下的违规和解提供了广泛的框架。

FEMA项下的违规和解申请应在提交申请之日起180天内完成。

2. 什么是FEMA项下的违规和解？

• FEMA项下的违规行为需承担第13(a)条规定的处罚，即最高可达违规金额的300%；若金额无法量化，则最高可处以20万卢比的罚款。此外，如果违规行为持续存在，则从第一天之后起，每天还需额外缴纳5000卢比的罚款。
• 与罚款相比，和解通常涉及的金额要低得多。一旦达成和解并按照和解令及时付款，违规行为即被正规化，此后不得再针对该违规行为启动进一步的处罚或诉讼程序。
• 中央政府已制定了《2000年外汇（和解程序）规则》（“FEMA规则”），涉及该法案第四章项下的违规和解。
• 根据《1999年FEMA法案第15条，该条款规定了处理违规和解的权力，即：
  • 法案第13条项下的任何违规行为均可进行和解。
  • 违规当事人可随时申请此类和解。
  • 此类和解应在执法局局长或中央政府授权的执法局其他官员及印度储备银行官员收到申请之日起180天内，并按照规定的方式完成。

3. FEMA项下违规行为的类型

违规行为可能是FEMA法案项下的报告违规，例如：

• 延迟报告股份配售的入境汇款
• 在海外设立下属子公司（SDS），
• 向非居民印度人（NRI）发行股份后的FC-GPR表格申报，
• 向印度境外居民（PROI）发行员工持股计划（ESOP）后的ESOP表格申报，
• PROI买卖印度公司股份后的FC-TRS表格申报等。
• 这可能表现为外汇收付延迟或向PROI配股延迟。

这也可能是违反禁止性交易的规定，或在未经印度储备银行/中央政府批准的情况下进行交易，例如：非居民印度人（NRI）在印度购买农业用地、外国公民或印度境外居民在印度购置不动产、汇款超过自由汇款计划（LRS）的允许限额、从非认可贷款人处筹集外币贷款（ECB）、印度境外居民未经印度储备银行批准设立分支机构、向与印度有陆地边界国家的公民发行股份等。

4. FEMA项下和解的前提条件是什么？

• 若某人在类似违规行为和解后的三年内再次发生违规，则此类违规行为不得和解，并应适用《1999年FEMA法案》的相关规定。
• 在违规行为和解之日起三年期满后发生的任何第二次或后续违规，应被视为首次违规。
• 对于涉及需要相关机构或法定部门批准或许可的交易的违规行为，只有在获得相关部门批准后，方可考虑进行和解。
• 对于涉嫌洗钱、恐怖融资或影响国家主权和完整的严重违规行为，或者违规方未能在和解令规定的期限内支付和解金的，应移交执法局根据《1999年FEMA法案》进行进一步调查，或移交《2002年防止洗钱法》（PMLA）项下的相关部门或其他机构处理。
• 在执法局已进行裁决且已根据《1999年FEMA法案》第17条或第19条提起上诉的情况下，根据《2000年外汇规则》第11条，任何违规行为均不得和解。申请人须在和解申请中随附附件III形式的承诺书，声明其未根据《1999年FEMA法案》第17条或第19条提起任何上诉。
• 每当印度储备银行发现违规行为，或通过非规定和解申请的渠道获悉相关实体涉及违规时，银行将继续决定：
  • 违规行为是否属于技术性/轻微性质，因此可以通过行政/警示建议处理；
  • 违规行为是否重大，因此需要进行和解，并遵循必要的和解程序；或者
  • 所涉问题是否敏感/严重，因此需要移交执法局（DOE）处理。
• 然而，一旦相关实体主动提交和解申请并承认违规，该行为将不再被视为“技术性”或“轻微”性质，和解程序将根据法案条款启动。

5. 何时可以根据FEMA提交和解申请

• 一旦申请人意识到违反了FEMA条款（无论是通过印度储备银行、其他法定机构、审计师的提醒，还是通过其他任何方式），即可提交和解申请。
• 需要注意的是，申请人在意识到违规后，也可以主动（suo-moto）提出和解申请。
• 提交和解申请没有时间限制，即使违规行为发生在20年前，也可以就此提交和解申请。

6. FEMA项下不允许和解的情形

在以下情况下，FEMA项下的和解是不允许的。

• 涉嫌严重违规，例如：
  • 洗钱，
  • 恐怖融资，或
  • 影响国家主权和完整。
• 已进行裁决并提起上诉的案件。
• 未获得执法局或中央调查局（CBI）等机构必要批准或许可的交易违规。此类违规行为可在获得相关批准后进行和解。
• 一旦达成和解，未来三年内不得就类似违规行为再次进行和解。
• 违规金额无法量化的案件。

在NDTV & Asrani Inns and Resort Private Limited一案中，印度储备银行曾以该事项正处于执法局调查中为由退回了和解申请，但孟买高等法院指示印度储备银行继续处理该和解申请。

7. FEMA项下违规行为的和解程序是什么？

Contravention of Section 3(a) of the Act can be compounded by the Enforcement Directorate and rest of contraventions can be compounded by RBI.

• Application for compounding to be submitted to the compounding authority along with demand draft of Rs. 5000/-  in favour of “Reserve Bank of India” along with the following:
  • Application in the format prescribed in the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000.
  • Details relating to Foreign Direct Investment, External Commercial Borrowings, Overseas Direct Investment and Branch Office / Liaison Office, as applicable in form Annex- II of the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000.
  • A copy of the Memorandum of Association.
  • Latest audited balance sheet.
  • An undertaking in form Annex- III of the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000 that they are not under any enquiry/investigation/adjudication by any agency such as Directorate of Enforcement, CBI etc as on the date of the application.
  • ECS mandate and details of bank account of the Applicant as per Annex- III of the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000.
• The Application is examined based on the documents and submissions  made and assesses whether the contravention is quantifiable, and if so, the amount of contravention.
• The Compounding Authority may call for any information, record or any other documents relevant to the compounding proceedings.
• If the contravener fails to submit the additional information/documents called for within the specified period, the application for compounding will be liable for rejection.
• In case the application has to be returned where required approvals are not obtained from the authorities concerned or in case of incomplete application for any other reason, the application fees of Rs.5000/-, received along with the application will be returned by crediting the same to the applicant’s account through NEFT as per the ECS mandate. The applicants are advised to furnish their mandate details with their bank account along with the application in the prescribed format.

Process of applying for compounding is quite fast and hassle free. Once application is accepted, compounding would be completed within 180 days from the receipt of a duly completed application.

8. Method of Computing Compounding amount under FEMA

Compounding amount depends upon.

1. Period of contravention 
2. Undue gains made as result of contravention, 
3. Loss caused to exchequer 
4. Economic benefits accrued to contravener due to delayed compliance
5. Track record/history of contravener, etc. 

Compounding amounts under most contraventions are defined, however, when it involves undue gains, the methodology of calculation is not defined, and it depends largely on the judgement of the compounding officer.

9. Issue of the Compounding Order

The Compounding authority shall pass an compounding order after giving a reasonable opportunity of being heard to all concerned parties but not later than 180 days from the date of application.

However, contravener has the right to attend personal hearing and provide additional documents related to such compounding application. 

10. Post Compounding Procedure

• The amount to be paid by way of demand draft in favor of the “Reserve Bank of India” within 15 days from the date of the order of compounding of such contravention.
• After a compounding order is passed, the contravener has no right to seek to withdraw the order or to hold that the compounding order is void or request review of the order passed by the Compounding Authority.
• In case of failure to pay the sum compounded within the time specified in the compounding order, it shall be deemed that the contravener had never made an application for compounding of any contravention under these Rules.
• On realization of the sum for which contravention is compounded a certificate in this regard shall be issued by the Reserve Bank subject to the specified conditions, if any, in the order.

11. Legal Effect of Compounding of offences under FEMA?

Compounding being a voluntary process, its orders are neither appealable nor any review mechanism is in place. If payments as per the compounding order are not made within the permitted timeline of 15 days, the compounding process would elapse and the process would be treated as null and void. Thereafter RBI refers the matter to ED for investigation. 

There are a few exceptions though In the matter of JVL Agro Industries Private Limited, Allahabad HC was of the view that as petitioner had shown an unconditional willingness to comply with the compounding order, the ends of justice would be met if the Compounding Authority considered the request of the petitioner to pay the penalty even after the expiry of the prescribed period.

12. Penalties for following contraventions/violation under FEMA