DHFL lenders set October 30 deadline for revised offers, flay Wadhawan

Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL) have asked for revised offers with no “conditional plans” from the four existing bidders, who will have to submit the new plans to own the troubled non-banking finance company and its different assets by Friday evening, a new deadline set.

The committee of creditors (CoC) met Monday analysing the bids it had received from Oaktree, SC Lowy, Adani Capital and Piramal Group. It will likely meet on Saturday to take a call on revised bids, three people with knowledge of the matter told ET. Lenders are in favour of negotiating hard with bidders as they aim to maximise value of assets.

Lenders are demanding a better offer from all the bidders because currently at 25% of total assets these plans are too low. We may get more clarity by the weekend,” said a senior executive involved in discussions.

At the same time, lenders and the RBI-appointed administrator denounced the erstwhile promoter Kapil Wadhawan’s letter that offered a realisation of over Rs 43,000 crore showcasing his “personal assets”. They are preparing a reply citing that those are neither personal assets nor properly documented. Even Wadhawan did not appear physically when he was requested for a help.

Individual bidders separately held virtual meetings with creditors and the RBI-appointed administrator of DHFL Monday.

DHFL will likely seek revised offers from existing bidders, ET reported on October 26.

“Lenders and the administrator asked bidders to do away with several additional conditions, mentioned in their respective bids,” said a senior executive present in the meeting. Bidders appear to be receptive towards the suggestions made on Monday but may take time to submit revised plans.

In its initial bid, Oaktree is said to have sought for forming a trust including subsidiaries of flagship DHFL. Insurance business is one step-down subsidiary where a foreign player cannot hold more than 49 percent under foreign direct investment route.

While lenders are not averse to it but want the bidder to deal with it commercially rather than making it a conditional resolution plan, sources said.

US-based asset management firm Oaktree made an offer to take over the entire company for about Rs 27,000 crore, Piramal Group bid for the retail loan books for Rs 15,000 crore. Other two are interested in wholesale and SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Accommodation) books.

They proposed to acquire the company or select assets including retail loans, SRA or construction projects, or the wholesale book.

There is a disparity in initial bids submitted. That is where lenders insisted to bargain hard to elicit stronger bids.

“Wadhawan is offering us whatever we already have as this company is now in the possession of bankers because it is under a bankruptcy process so in that sense it is not an offer worth considering,” said a person involved in the deliberations referring to the erstwhile promoter’s letter more than a week ago.

The National Company Law Tribunal’s Mumbai chapter admitted DHFL for debt resolution in December last year after the company had failed to repay its debt estimated around Rs 88,000 crore.