To, The Members,
The Resolution Professional of Siti Networks Limited ("the Company"),
appointed under the provisions of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 ("I & B
Code"), presents the 18th Annual Report of your Company, together with the Audited
Financial Statements (Standalone and Consolidated), prepared as per Indian Accounting
Standards (Ind-AS) as prescribed under Section 134 of the Companies Act, 2013
("Act") and the Auditor's Report for the Financial Year ended March 31, 2024,
which includes the Report of the Shareholders.
Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) of SITI
Pursuant to the order dated February 22, 2023 passed by the Hon'ble National Company
Law Tribunal, Mumbai ("NCLT"):
(i) The Company has been admitted into the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process
("CIRP") under the provisions of the I &B Code;
(ii) Mr. Rohit Mehra, Insolvency Professional (Insolvency Professional Registration No.
IBBI/IPA-001/IP-P00799/2017-218/11374) has been appointed as the Interim Resolution
Professional to carry out the functions as mentioned under the I & B Code. Later on,
the Committee of Creditors in its first meeting held on September 1, 2023 confirmed the
appointment of Mr. Rohit Mehra as the Resolution Professional (hereinafter referred to as
"RP") of the Company.
(iii) The management of the Company was suspended and vested in the IRP/ RP.
Subsequently, the Hon'ble National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, New Delhi
("NCLAT") vide its order dated March 7, 2023, on an appeal filed by Ms. Shilpi
Asthana, Independent Director (power suspended), stayed the operation of Hon'ble NCLT
order dated February 22, 2023, which later on vide its order dated August 10, 2023,
dismissed the said appeal and set aside the stay order dated March 7, 2023. The IRP
received a copy of the order dated August 10, 2023 passed by the Hon'ble NCLAT on August
14, 2023 (by downloading it from the website of the Hon'ble NCLAT) and tookover the
control of management of the Company on August 16, 2023 (August 15, 2023 being a national
holiday on account of Independence Day).
The management and control of Siti was vested in its Board of Directors from 7 March
2023 till 16 August 2023.
Approval of the Financial Statements 2023-24 and the Report of the Shareholders
As the power of the Board of Directors have been suspended, the financial statements
have not been approved by the Board of Directors. However, the same has been approved and
signed by RP & signed by the Chef Executive Officer and the Company Secretary of the
Company. The position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) had become vacant pursuant to the
resignation of former CFO since September 15, 2023.
The RP, in view of having entrusted with the management of the affairs of the Company,
is submitting this Report in compliance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013,
the rules framed thereunder ("Act") and the Securities and Exchange Board of
India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 ("Listing
Regulations").
Financial Highlights
The financial performance of your Company for the year ended March 31, 2024 is
summarised below:
(Rs. in million)
Particular |
Standalone |
Consolidated |
|
2023-24 |
2022-23 |
2023-24 |
2022-23 |
Revenue from operations |
4,332.24 |
5,311.51 |
12,910.91 |
13,453.49 |
Other Income |
142.55 |
196.58 |
285.84 |
346.84 |
Total Income |
4,474.79 |
5,508.09 |
13196.75 |
13,800.33 |
Total Expenses |
4,594.00 |
5,197.37 |
12,615.28 |
12,260.59 |
EBIDTA |
(119.21) |
310.72 |
581.45 |
1,539.74 |
Less : Finance cost |
742.29 |
1,063.03 |
816.20 |
1,154.71 |
Less : Depreciation |
1,268.55 |
1,890.32 |
2,576.00 |
3,443.79 |
Profit/(Loss) before share of Profit/(loss) of associates and joint
ventures, exceptional item and tax |
(2,130.04) |
(2,642.63) |
(2,810.74) |
(3,058.76) |
Share of Profit/(loss) of associates and joint ventures |
0.00 |
0.00 |
(4.53) |
(3.97) |
Profit/(Loss) before exceptional item and tax |
(2,130.04) |
(2,642.63) |
(2,815.28) |
(3,062.73) |
Exceptional items |
(624.67) |
346.20 |
(696.84) |
80.51 |
Profit /(Loss) before tax & after exceptional items |
(1,505.37) |
(2,988.83) |
(2,118.42) |
(3,143.24) |
Provision for taxation (net) |
0.00 |
0.00 |
(67.82) |
11.16 |
Profit/(Loss) after tax & exceptional items |
(1,505.37) |
(2,988.83) |
(2,050.62) |
(3,154.40) |
Remeasurement of de ned bene t liability |
2.90 |
2.19 |
5.53 |
8.79 |
Total comprehensive Profit/(loss) for the period |
(1,502.47) |
(2,986.64) |
(2,045.08) |
(3,145.61) |
Business Overview
Offering the convenience and flexibility of on-demand viewing, streaming services
continued to impact Cable TV services, especially concerning shifts in consumer purchasing
patterns of TV models in FY 2023-24. The government's initiatives to strengthen digital
infrastructure further accelerated the rapid adoption of OTT platforms and increased
internet usage among consumers. As OTT platforms thrive and smart TV features become
mainstream, viewers increasingly opted for televisions with advanced capabilities in FY
2023-24. Additionally, the growth of free-to-air channels allowed them to stream a diverse
range of movies and shows without relying on cable or broadcast television. The reach of
connected TVs in the fiscal year exceeded that of any single pay platform in India, with a
substantial portion connected to the internet weekly.
The shift towards connected TVs and the rise of alternative entertainment and digital
platforms contributed to a drop in active paid subscriptions, notably in cables and DTH
connections and a decrease in the overall pay TV market. However, free TV subscriptions
remained appealing, particularly among Hindi speaking audiences, supported by affordable
television sets and economic growth.
Amidst this growing influence of OTT services and alternative entertainment channels,
Local Cable Operators (LCOs) continued to support consumers, by ensuring seamless
connectivity. Although there was a recovery in some household incomes during the fiscal,
many families opted to reduce spending on essentials, leading to downgrades in TV packages
or the deactivation of TV connections.
As India's per capita income continues to rise alongside favourable domestic
conditions, the Indian Media & Entertainment sector is poised for growth, with digital
media expected to outpace traditional television. Increased adoption of connected TVs is
anticipated as wired broadband and 5G connections expand. In this evolving landscape,
cable TV is projected to remain the largest content distributor for large screens. The
shift in customer preferences underscores the necessity for companies to redesign their
portfolios and diversify offerings to meet the needs of a varied audience.
Directors & Key Managerial Personnel
As the Company is undergoing CIRP, therefore, pursuant to sub-regulations (2A) and (2B)
of Regulation 15 of SEBI Listing Regulations, during the CIRP period the Company is fully
exempt from the provisions of Regulations 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 of the SEBI Listing
Regulations, including with regard to holding requisite number of meetings in a year and
composition of the Board of Directors and its Committees including Audit Committee,
Nomination and Remuneration Committee, Stakeholder Relationship Committee and Corporate
Social Responsibility Committee. However, the proviso to rub-regulations (2A) and (2B)
provides that role and responsibilities of the Board of Directors and its Committees as
specified under Regulations 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 shall be fulfilled by the interim
resolution professional or resolution professional in accordance with sections 17 and 23
of the I & B Code.
Due to undergoing CIRP, the Board of Directors continues to remain suspended. However,
the suspended Board comprises of four (4) Directors (power suspended) including one (1)
Independent Director (power suspended), two (2) Non-Executive Non-Independent Directors
(power suspended) and one (1) Executive Director (power suspended). Independent Director
(power suspended) provided declaration(s) both at the time of appointment and annually
confirming that they meet the criteria of Independence as prescribed under the Act and
SEBI (Listing Regulations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 ("SEBI
Listing Regulations"). During the financial year 2023-24, the suspended Board met one
(1) time i.e. when the operation of the order dated February 22, 2023 was stayed by
Hon'ble NCLAT, details of which are available in the Corporate Governance Report annexed
to this report.
As per Section 152 of the Act, Ms. Kavita Anand Kapahi (DIN 02330706) will retire by
rotation at the ensuing Annual General Meeting and being eligible, has offered herself for
re-appointment.
The first term of appointment of Ms. Shilpi Asthana (DIN 08465502) as an Independent
Director will expire on December 26, 2024. However, Ms. Shilpi Asthana, being eligible,
has offered herself for reappointment as per Section 149 of the Act. Pursuant to Sections
149, 152 and other applicable provisions of Companies Act 2013 (Act') and the rules
made thereunder read with Schedule IV of the Act, the Shareholders of the Company at the
16th Annual General Meeting of the Company held on September 12, 2022, had approved the
appointment of Ms. Shilpi Asthana, as Independent Director, not liable to retire by
rotation, for the period of three years commencing December 27, 2021.
During the period under review, Mr. Vikram Singh Panwar, who was appointed as CFO of
the Company on the basis of recommendations of Audit Committee and Nomination &
Remuneration Committee w.e.f. April 15, 2023 by the Board, had resigned as CFO w.e.f.
September 15, 2023.
In compliance with the requirements of Section 203 of the Act, Mr. Suresh Arora,
Whole-Time Director (powers suspended), Mr. Yogesh Sharma, Chief Executive Officer and Mr.
Suresh Kumar, Company Secretary of the Company are Key Managerial Personnel of the
Company.
Board Committees
The Company is undergoing CIRP, therefore, the Board constituted Committees remain
suspended during the period under review. However, in compliance with the requirements of
Act and SEBI Listing Regulations, the suspended Board, before the initiation of CIRP, had
constituted various Board Committees including Audit Committee, Nomination &
Remuneration Committee, Stakeholders Relationship Committee and Corporate Social
Responsibility Committee. Details of the constitution of these Committees, which are in
accordance with regulatory requirements, have been uploaded on the website of the Company
viz. www.sitinetworks.com.
Details of scope, constitution, terms of reference, number of meetings held during the
year under review along with attendance of Committee Members therein form part of the
Corporate Governance Report annexed to this report.
Board Evaluation
As the Company is undergoing CIRP, the powers of the Board of Directors remain
suspended. The affairs of the Company were being conducted by RP from 16 August 2023 till
31 March 2024 during the financial year under review.
Consequently, no meeting of Independent Directors was held during the financial year
2023-24 for such evaluation. However, the Board of Directors in its meeting held on May
30, 2023 (i.e. during the period of stay of operation of Hon'ble NCLT order dated February
22, 2023) evaluated the performance of the Independent Directors.
Auditors and Audit Report
Statutory Auditors
Pursuant to Section 139 of the Act and the Rules made thereunder, the Statutory
Auditors of the Company, M/s DNS & Associates, Chartered Accountants, Gurugram having
Firm's Registration No. 006956C, were appointed by the Members at 14th Annual
General Meeting of the Company to hold office until the conclusion of the 19th
Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held in the calendar year 2025.
Audit Report
The Audit Report on the financial statement (Standalone and Consolidated) for the
financial year 2023-24, contains the modified opinion (disclaimer of opinion) of the
statutory auditor of the Company. In terms of Section 134(3)(f) read with Listing
Regulations, explanation or comments by the Board on every disclaimers made by the Auditor
in its report, are enclosed herewith as Annexure - I.
Secretarial Auditors
M/s Amit Agrawal & Associates, Company Secretaries in Whole Time Practice, having
Firm Registration No. P2001DE091000, were appointed as Secretarial Auditors of the Company
for the financial year 2023-24 pursuant to Section 204 of the Act. The Secretarial Audit
Report of the Company submitted by the Secretarial Auditor, along with the Secretarial
Audit Report of all material subsidiary companies of the Company, in the prescribed form
MR-3, are collectively annexed to this report as Annexure II and forms part
thereof.
The reports of Secretarial Auditor(s) forming part of this report do not contain any
qualification, reservation or adverse remark(s).
Further, pursuant to Regulation 24A of the SEBI Listing Regulations read with SEBI
Circular No. CIR/CFD/ CMD1/27/2019 dated February 8, 2019, an Annual Secretarial
Compliance Report issued by the Secretarial Auditor of the Company confirming that the
Company had complied with all applicable SEBI Regulations, Circulars and Guidelines, which
has been filed with Stock Exchanges, is annexed to this report as Annexure - III.
Cost Auditors
In compliance with the requirement of Section 148 of the Act, read with Companies (Cost
Records and Audit) Rules, 2014, as amended, M/s. N Khandelwal & Co., Cost Accountants
(Firm's Registration No. 004555), has been appointed to carry out the audit of the cost
records of the Company during the financial year 2023-24. Requisite proposal seeking
ratification/approval of remuneration payable to the Cost Auditor for the financial years
2023-24 and 2024-25 by the Members as per Rule 14 of the Companies (Audit and Auditors)
Rules, 2014, forms part of Notice of the 18th Annual General Meeting.
The Company has maintained cost accounts and records in accordance with the provisions
of Section 148(1) of the Act read with the Companies (Cost Records and Audit) Rules, 2014.
Directors' Responsibility Statement
Pursuant to Section 134(5) of the Act, based on the internal finance controls, work
performed by the statutory auditor, cost auditors and external agencies, the reviews
performed by the management and with the concurrence of the RP, that for the year ended
31st March, 2024, the confirmation is hereby given for the Company having:
(i) followed in the preparation of the annual accounts, the applicable accounting
standards with proper explanation relating to material departures;
(ii) selected such accounting policies and applied them consistently and made judgments
and estimates that are reasonable and prudent so as to give a true and fair view of the
state of affairs of the Company at the end of the financial year and of the profit and
loss of the Company for that period;
(iii) taken proper and sufficient care for the maintenance of adequate accounting
records in accordance with the provisions of Companies Act, 2013 for safeguarding the
assets of the Company and for preventing and detecting fraud and other irregularities;
(iv) prepared the annual accounts on a going concern basis;
(v) laid down internal financial controls to be followed by the Company and that such
internal financial controls are adequate and were operating effectively; and
(vi) devised proper systems to ensure compliance with the provisions of all applicable
laws and such systems are adequate, operating effectively and the same are being
strengthened on continuous basis from time to time.
There have been no material changes and commitments that have occurred after close of
the financial year till the date of this report, which affect the financial position of
the Company. Based on the internal financial control framework and compliance systems
established in the Company, the work performed by the Statutory, Internal, Secretarial
Auditors and reviews performed by the Management and the RP, the RP is of the opinion that
the Company's internal financial controls were adequate and working effectively during
financial year 2023-24.
Subsidiaries & Joint Ventures
As on March 31, 2024, your Company has 24 nos. of subsidiary companies, 2 associate
companies and 1 wholly owned Limited Liability Partnership.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 129(3) of the Act, a statement containing the
salient features of financial statements of the Company's subsidiaries and associate
company(ies) in Form AOC-1 is annexed to this report as Annexure IV and forms part
thereof.
Further, pursuant to the provisions of Section 136 of the Act, the financial statements
of the Company, consolidated financial statements along with relevant documents and
separate audited financial statements in respect of subsidiaries, are available on the
website of the Company www.sitinetworks.com. These documents will also be available for
inspection during business hours on all working days (except Saturday) at the Registered
Office of the Company.
Deposits
During the year under review, your Company has not accepted or invited any deposits as
defined under Section 2(31) read with Chapter V of the Act and Rule 2(1)(c) of the
Companies (Acceptance of Deposits) Rules, 2014.
Dividend
No dividend is recommended for the year under review.
Transfer to Reserves
The Company has not transferred any amount to reserves in view of losses during the
year under review.
Employee Stock Option Scheme
In pursuance of Employees Stock Option Scheme of the Company (SITI ESOP 2015), your
Company had granted 4,663,500 options to eligible employees on September 3, 2015, which
were vested to the eligible employees up to the financial year 2018-19. All such granted
options, which were not exercised by the eligible employees, have been expired during the
financial year 2022-23. During the year under review, no options have been granted to the
eligible employees.
The applicable disclosures as stipulated under Regulation 14 of the Securities and
Exchange Board of India (Share Based Employee Benefits and Sweat Equity) Regulations, 2021
with regard to SITI ESOP 2015 are annexed to this report as Annexure - V. The said
disclosures on SITI ESOP 2015 will also be available on Company's website
www.sitinetworks.com. The certificate of Secretarial Auditor of the Company M/s Amit
Agrawal & Associates (Firm Registration No. P2001DE091000), certifying that the SITI
ESOP 2015 have been implemented in accordance with the SEBI (Share Based Employee Benefits
and Sweat Equity) Regulations, 2021 and the resolution passed by the shareholders, will be
placed at the 18th Annual General Meeting of the Company.
Share Capital
During the period under review, there is no change in Authorised Share Capital of the
Company. As on March 31, 2024 the Authorised Capital of the Company is Rs.1,300 million
comprising of 1,290,000,000 Equity Shares of Re.1/- each and 10,000,000 Preference Shares
of Re.1/- each and the Paid-up Share Capital of the Company is Rs.872.08 million
comprising 872,053,848 Equity Shares of Re.1/- each fully paid-up and 23,436 Preference
Shares of Re.1/- each fully paid-up.
Registered Office
During the year under review, the Registered office of the Company is continued to be
situated at Unit No. 38, 1st Floor, A wing, Madhu Industrial Estate, P. B Marg,
Worli, Mumbai 400013'.
Corporate Governance & Policies
The Company is committed to maintaining high standards of Corporate Governance and
adheres to the Corporate Governance requirements set out by the Securities and Exchange
Board of India (SEBI). The Company continues to lay a strong emphasis on transparency,
accountability and integrity and has also implemented several corporate governance
practices in this regard. A separate report on Corporate Governance in terms of Regulation
34(3) read with Schedule V of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements)
Regulations, 2015 (the Listing Regulations') is provided in this Annual Report
together with the Certificate from the Secretarial Auditors of the Company confirming
compliance with the conditions of Corporate Governance, as stipulated under the Listing
Regulations.
Pursuant to sub-regulations (2A) and (2B) of Regulation 15 of SEBI Listing Regulations,
during the CIRP period, the Company is fully exempt from the provisions of Regulations 17,
18, 19, 20 and 21 of the SEBI Listing Regulations, including with regard to holding
requisite number of meetings in a year and composition of the Board of Directors and its
Committees including Audit Committee, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, Stakeholder
Relationship Committee and Corporate Social Responsibility Committee.
In terms of Schedule V of the SEBI Listing Regulations, a detailed report on Corporate
Governance together with the Compliance Certificate issued by Secretarial Auditor of the
Company is attached to and forms an integral part of this report. Management Discussion
and Analysis Report as per SEBI Listing Regulations are presented as separate section
forming part of the Annual Report.
In compliance with the requirements of Act and SEBI Listing Regulations, various
Policies of the Company are in place which inter-alia include Code of Conduct for
Directors & Senior Management, Material Subsidiary Policy, Insider Trading Code,
Document Preservation Policy, Material Event Determination and Disclosure Policy, Fair
Disclosure Policy, Corporate Social Responsibility Policy, Whistle Blower and Vigil
Mechanism Policy, Related Party Transaction Policy and Dividend Policy. All these policies
and codes have been uploaded on Company's website www.sitinetworks.com.
Corporate Social Responsibility
The provisions of Section 135(5) of the Act, which provides for spending in every
financial year at least two percent of the average net profits of the Company made during
the three immediately preceding financial years, is not applicable to the Company as the
Company had incurred losses during the three immediately preceding financial years.
Disclosures
i. Particulars of Loans, Guarantee or Investments: Particulars of loans, guarantees
and investments made by the Company required under Section 186(4) of the Act are contained
in Note No.6 & 42 of the Standalone Financial Statements and are not reproduced for
the sake of brevity.
ii. Related Parties Transactions: All contracts/arrangements/ transactions entered
by the Company during the financial year with related parties were on arm's length basis,
in the ordinary course of business and in compliance with the applicable provisions of the
Act, I & B Code and SEBI Listing Regulations.
During the financial year 2023-24, there are no materially significant related party
transactions by the Company with Promoters, Directors, Key Managerial Personnel or other
designated persons, if any, which may have a potential conflict with the interest of the
Company at large. Details of related party transactions will be available on Company's
website www.sitinetworks.com.
All related party transactions during the CIRP period, specifying the nature, value and
terms and conditions of the transactions including the arms-length justification, were
placed before the Committee of Creditors constituted under I & B Code, for its prior
approval. During the year under review, there have been no materially significant related
party transactions by the Company as defined under Section 188 of the Act and Regulation
23 of the SEBI Listing Regulations and accordingly, no transactions are required to be
reported in Form AOC-2 as per Section 188 of the Act.
iii. Extract of Annual Return: The extract of annual return in MGT-9 as required
under Section 92(3) of the Act read with Companies (Management & Administration)
Rules, 2014 will be available on the website of the Company www.sitinetworks.com.
iv. Internal Financial Control systems and their adequacy: Your Company has
approved internal financial controls and policies/ procedures for orderly and efficient
conduct of the business including safeguarding of assets, prevention and detection of
frauds and errors, ensuring accuracy and completeness of the accounting records and the
timely preparation of reliable financial information. The Audit Committee evaluates the
internal financial control system periodically. Your Company has adopted accounting
policies which are in line with the Indian Accounting Standards (Ind-AS) notified under
Section 133 of the Act read with the Companies (Indian Accounting Standards) Rules, 2015.
These are in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in India.
v. Vigil Mechanisms/Whistle Blower Policy: The Company has established a vigil
mechanism/framed a whistle blower policy of the Directors and employees in confirmation
with Section 177(9) of the Act and Regulation 22 of the SEBI Listing Regulations. The
policy enables the employees and other stakeholders to report to the Management instances
of unethical behaviour, actual or suspected fraud or violation of the Company's code of
conduct or ethics policy. The said policy is available on website of the Company at
www.sitinetworks.com.
vi. Risk Management: Your Company has well-defined operational processes to ensure
that risks are identified and the operating management is responsible for identifying and
implementing the mitigation plans for operational and process risks. Key strategic and
business risks are identified and managed by senior management team. The risks that matter
and their mitigation plans are updated and reviewed periodically by the senior management
and integrated in the business plan for each year. In the opinion of the Management and
RP, currently, there are no risks that may threaten existence of the Company.
vii. Sexual Harassment: The Company is committed to provide safe and conducive
working environment to all its employees (permanent, contractual, temporary and trainees,
etc.) and has zero tolerance for Sexual Harassment at workplace. The Company has adopted a
Policy on prevention, prohibition and redressal of Sexual Harassment at workplace in line
with the provisions of Sexual Harassment of Woman at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition
and Redressal) Act, 2013 and the Rules made thereunder and has constituted Internal
Complaints Committee to redressal complaints received regarding sexual harassment.
During the year under review, your Company has not received any complaint on sexual
harassment.
viii. Regulatory Orders: The Hon'ble National Company Law Board ("NCLT"),
Mumbai vide its order dated February 22, 2023 on the petition filed by Indusind Bank Ltd.,
had admitted the Company under Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process ("CIRP")
and had appointed Mr. Rohit Mehra (Insolvency Professional Registration No.
IBBI/IPA-001/IP-P00799/2017-218/11374) as Interim Resolution Procession of the Company
(who was subsequently appointed as Resolution Professional by the Committee of Creditors).
Subsequently, the Hon'ble National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, New Delhi
("NCLAT") vide its order dated March 7, 2023, on an appeal filed by Ms. Shilpi
Asthana, Independent Director (power suspended), stayed the operation of Hon'ble NCLT
order dated February 22, 2023. However, NCLAT vide its order dated August 10, 2023,
dismissed the said appeal and set aside the stay order dated March 7, 2023.
Except as mentioned herein-above, no significant or material orders were passed by the
regulators or courts or tribunals which impact the ongoing concern status and Company's
operations in future.
ix. Application made by your Company or any such proceeding pending under the
insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 during the year along with their status as at the end
of the financial year:
(a) Your Company has filed an Application under Section 9 of the Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code, 2016, before the Hon'ble NCLT, Mumbai against Pioneer Channel Factory
Ltd. ("Pioneer Channel") claiming an amount of Rs.2.34 million from Pioneer
Channel on account of non-payment of agreed placement fee in terms of the Agreement
executed between the Company and Pioneer Channel. The matter has been disposed of by order
dated 31 October 2023.
(b) Your company has filed a Statement of Claim before the Official Liquidator at New
Delhi against Macro Commerce Pvt. Ltd. ("Macro Commerce"), which has been
undergoing CIRP, claiming an amount of Rs.4.83 million in terms of agreements executed
between Your Company and Macro Commerce. Your Company has received an amount of Rs.2.45
million. This matter is pending before the Official Liquidator for further proceedings.
(c) Your Company has filed a Statement of Claim before the Official Liquidator at
Mumbai against Shop CJ Network Pvt. Ltd. ("Shop CJ"), which has been undergoing
CIRP, claiming an amount of Rs.8.22 million before the Official Liquidator in terms of
agreements executed between Your Company and Shop CJ. The official Liquidator has released
an amount of Rs.5.34 million to your Company so far. This matter is pending before
Official Liquidator for further proceedings.
(d) Your Company has filed a Statement of Claim before the Official Liquidator at
Mumbai against Fearless Media Pvt. Ltd. ("Fearless Media"), which has been
undergoing CIRP, claiming an amount of Rs.0.59 million from Fearless Media on account of
non-payment of agreed placement fee in terms of the Agreement executed between your
Company and Fearless Media. This matter is pending before the Official Liquidator for
further proceedings.
(e) Your Company has filed a Statement of Claim before the Official Liquidator at
Mumbai against Mi Marathi Media Ltd. ("Mi Marathi"), which has been undergoing
CIRP, claiming an amount of Rs.0.40 million from Mi Marathi on account of non-payment of
agreed placement fee in the terms of the Agreement executed between your Company and Mi
Marathi. This matter is pending before Official Liquidator for further proceedings.
(f) Your Company has filed an Application under Section 9 of the Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code 2016, before the Hon'ble NCLT, Mumbai, against TV Home Shopping Network
Ltd. claiming an amount of Rs.4.40 million on account of non-payment of agreed placement
fee in terms of the Agreement executed between your Company and TV Home Shopping Network
Ltd. This matter is pending before Hon'ble NCLT, Mumbai for further proceedings.
(g) Your Company has filed an Application under Section 9 of the Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code 2016, before the Hon'ble NCLT, Mumbai against Broadcast Initiatives Ltd.
claiming an amount of Rs.3.62 million on account of non-payment of agreed placement fee in
terms of the Agreement executed between your Company and Broadcast Initiatives Ltd. The
matter was dismissed for want of prosecution. Your Company is in the process of filing a
restoration application for further adjudication.
Application made against your Company or any such proceeding pending under the
insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 during the year along with their status as at the end
of the financial year:
(a) IndusInd Bank Ltd. had filed a Petition against the Company under Section 7 of the
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, before the Hon'ble NCLT, Mumbai, for default in
repayment of Term Loans availed by the Company. The outstanding claimed by IndusInd Bank
was Rs.1,488.29 million. In said matter, the Hon'ble NCLT, Mumbai vide its order dated
February 22, 2023, inter-alia, has admitting the Company under CIRP and has appointed Mr.
Rohit Mehra (Insolvency Professional Registration No.
IBBI/IPA-001/IP-P00799/2017-218/11374) as the Interim Resolution Professional (who was
later on appointed as Resolution Professional of the Company by the Committee of
Creditors). Subsequently, the Hon'ble National Company Law Appellate Tribunal
("NCLAT"), New Delhi vide its order dated March 7, 2023, on an appeal filed by
Ms. Shilpi Asthana, Independent Director (power suspended), stayed the operation of
Hon'ble NCLT order dated February 22, 2023. However, the Hon'ble NCLAT vide its order
dated August 10, 2023, dismissed the said appeal and set aside the stay order dated March
7, 2023.
(b) Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd ("HDFCL") has filed a
Petition against your Company under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016,
before the Hon'ble NCLT, Mumbai, for default in repayment of loan. The outstanding claimed
by HDFCL was Rs.2,960.64 million as on 31.01.2022. The Hon'ble NCLT vide its order dated
March 6, 2023, has, inter- alia, dismissed the said petition, as it became infructuous as
that Company has already been admitted under CIRP vide order dated February 22, 2023, of
the Hon'ble NCLT, Mumbai.
(c) IDBI Bank Limited ("IDBI") has filed a Petition against your Company
under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, before the Hon'ble NCLT,
Mumbai, for default in payment of loans. The outstanding claimed by IDBI was Rs.1,684.58
million. The Hon'ble NCLT vide its order dated February 28, 2023, has, inter alia,
dismissed the said petition, as it became infructuous as that Company has already been
admitted under CIRP vide order dated February 22, 2023, of the Hon'ble NCLT, Mumbai.
(d) Axis Bank Ltd ("Axis") has filed an Application against your Company
under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, before the Hon'ble NCLT,
Mumbai, for default in payment of loan. The outstanding claimed by Axis was Rs.2320.25
million as on 01.06.2023. The Hon'ble NCLT vide its order dated August 25, 2023, has,
inter- alia, dismissed the said application, as it became infructuous as that as the
Company has already been admitted under CIRP vide order dated February 22, 2023, of the
Hon'ble NCLT, Mumbai.
x. Reporting of frauds by auditors: During the year under review, neither the
statutory auditors nor the secretarial auditor has reported to the Audit Committee or RP,
under Section 143(12) of the Act, any instances of fraud committed against the Company by
its officers or employees, the details of which would need to be mentioned in the Board's
report.
xi. Secretarial standards: The Company has complied with all the applicable
provisions of Secretarial Standards issued by the Institute of Company Secretaries of
India and approved by the Central Government.
xii. Listing on stock exchanges: The Company's shares are listed on BSE Limited and
the National Stock Exchange of India Limited.
Conservation of Energy, Technology Absorption and Foreign Exchange Earnings and Outgo
The Company is a Multi System Operator (MSO) and is carrying on business of, inter
alia, reception of signals of channels of various Broadcasters and distribution of same
through cable networks. Since this does not involve any manufacturing activity, most of
the Information required to be provided under Section 134(3)(m) of the Act read with the
Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014, are nil / not applicable. The information, as applicable
are given hereunder:
Conservation of Energy:
i. The steps taken or impact or conservation of energy |
Your Company, being a service provider, has minimal energy consumption.
Though, every endeavour is made to ensure optimal use of energy, avoid wastages and
conserve energy as far as possible. |
ii. The steps taken by the Company for utilizing alternate sources of
energy |
|
iii. The capital investment on energy conservation equipments |
|
Technology Absorption: |
|
i. The efforts made towards technology absorption |
Your Company uses latest technology and equipment for distribution of
Cable TV signals. However, since the Company is not engaged in any manufacturing, the
information in connection with technology absorption is Nil. |
ii. The benefits derived like product improvement, cost reduction,
product development or import substitution |
|
iii. In case of imported technology (imported during the last three years
reckoned from the beginning of the financial year)- |
|
a. the details of technology imported |
|
b. the year of import; |
|
c. whether the technology been fully absorbed |
|
d. if not fully absorbed, areas where absorption has not taken place, and
the reasons thereof |
|
iv. The expenditure incurred on Research and Development |
|
Foreign Exchange Earnings and Outgo: During the year under review, your Company had
foreign exchange earnings of Rs.0.00 million and outgo of Rs.50.70 million.
Human Resources & Particulars of Employees
As we look to the future, our values represent the attributes and actions that will
help get us there, highlighting the strengths of our heritage and defining our path to
future success.
Together, we have a unique opportunity to shape the next chapter of organisational
culture and integrate these values into the core of our Company as we evolve. We believe
in people development, acknowledging the need for continuous enhancement of skill sets of
our people.
By leveraging human capital for competitiveness, we nurture knowledge, entrepreneurship
and creativity. We believe these strengths will empower us to successfully compete in a
competitive business environment and exploit emerging opportunities. We reward the drive
to succeed and the desire to compete with the best in the world.
With people centricity as our core, we prioritise creating a safe, inclusive and
harmonious workplace. We are committed to nurturing a culture focussed on meritocracy and
innovation, promoting employee growth and welfare. Upholding our ethos of caring and
sharing with our people, we regularly invest in their learning and development.
Additionally, we continue to maintain strong connections with our employees, treating them
as equal partners in our growth journey. During FY 2023-24, we implemented various
initiatives such as celebrating birthdays, Yoga Day and festivals to strengthen our HR
culture and ensure the overall well-being of our employees.
In terms of the provisions of Section 197(12) of the Act read with Rule 5(2) and 5(3)
of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, a
statement showing the names and other particulars of the employees drawing remuneration in
excess of the limits set out in the said rules is attached as Annexure VI, which
forms part of this report.
Acknowledgments
We thank the Company's employees, customers, broadcasters, cable operators and other
business associates, vendors and shareholders for their continuous supports. We also
thanks the bankers, financial institutions, various Governmental Authorities including
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Communication and Information
Technology, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Stock Exchanges, Registrar & Share
Transfer Agent and Depositories for their cooperation.
We appreciate and value the contribution made by every member of SITI family.
For Siti Networks Limited |
Rohit Mehra |
Mumbai, |
Resolution Professional |
December 2, 2024 |
IP Registration No. IBB//IPA-OOI/IPP00799/2017-2018/11374. |