Companies Act, 2013
266.
Power
of Tribunal to assess damages against delinquent directors, etc.
1. If, in the course of
the scrutiny or implementation of any scheme or proposal including the draft
scheme or proposal, it appears to the Tribunal that any person who has taken
part in the promotion, formation or management of the sick company or its
undertaking, including any director, manager, officer or employee of the sick
company who are or have been in employment of such company,—
a.
has
misapplied or retained, or become liable or accountable for, any money or
property of the sick company; or
b.
has
been guilty of any misfeasance, malfeasance, non-feasance or breach of trust in
relation to the sick company, it may, by order, direct him to repay or restore
the money or property, with or without interest, as it thinks just, or to
contribute such sum to the assets of the sick company or the other person,
entitled thereto by way of compensation in respect of the misapplication,
retainer, misfeasance, malfeasance, non-feasance or breach of trust as the
Tribunal thinks just and proper:
Provided
that such direction by the Tribunal shall be without prejudice to any other
legal action that may be taken against the person including any punishment for
fraud in the manner as provided in section 447.
1.
2. If the Tribunal is
satisfied on the basis of the information and evidence in its possession with
respect to any person who is or was a director or an officer or other employee
of the sick company, that such person by himself or along with others had diverted
the funds or other property of such company for any purpose other than the
purposes of the company or had managed the affairs of the company in a manner
highly detrimental to the interests of the company, the Tribunal shall, by
order, direct the public financial institutions, scheduled banks and State
level institutions not to provide, for a maximum period of ten years from the
date of the order, any financial assistance to such person or any firm of which
such person is a partner or any company or other body corporate of which such
person is a director, by whatever name called, or to disqualify the said
director, promoter, manager from being appointed as a director in any company
registered under this Act for a maximum period of six years.
3. No order shall be
made by the Tribunal under this section against any person unless such person
has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard.