Vedanta Group has emerged as the successful bidder for the debt-ridden Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL), beating out a competitive field that included the Adani Group. Vedanta offered ₹12,510 crore in a challenge auction on September 5 for acquiring the assets of JAL, a person close to the development confirmed to TNIE.
The acquisition was the result of a "challenge process" initiated by JAL's Committee of Creditors (CoC) to maximize the recovery for creditors who have claimed dues of Rs 57,185 crore. The auction, a key part of JAL’s Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP), saw a fierce bidding war with a floor value of Rs 12,000 crore. Bidders were required to increase their offers by at least Rs 250 crore per round.
Vedanta's successful offer of Rs 12,510 crore was the highest, surpassing bids from other major players including Adani Group, Dalmia Bharat, Jindal Steel & Power (JSPL), and PNC Infratech.
The insolvency proceedings against Jaiprakash Associates, a flagship company of the Jaypee Group, began on June 3, 2024, when the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in Allahabad admitted a petition filed by ICICI Bank. The move came after years of the company defaulting on its loan repayments. The company's financial distress was a reflection of the broader crisis within the Jaypee Group, which had accumulated significant debt from ambitious, capital-intensive projects in sectors like real estate, infrastructure, and cement.
Creditors, including a consortium of banks and financial institutions led by the National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL), had been seeking a resolution to recover their dues. The NARCL had acquired JAL’s stressed loans from lenders, including State Bank of India (SBI). Homebuyers of JAL's real estate projects were also listed as financial creditors, with claims totalling hundreds of crores.
While Vedanta has emerged as the winning bidder, the resolution plan must still be formally approved by the Committee of Creditors and subsequently by the NCLT. Additionally, the deal will be subject to regulatory clearances, including from the Competition Commission of India (CCI). Vedanta will also need to address the complexities of JAL's real estate holdings, including a pending dispute with the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) over land.