CBI books Guj-based firm for Rs 82 crore loan default

The CBI has booked Gujarat-based Ardor International and its promoters Fenil B Shah and Bharat R Shah in connection with its loan default of nearly Rs 82 crore towards Central Bank of India, officials said today.

The company, which is into supply chain management of detergent raw materials and other chemicals, has defaulted on loans amounting to Rs 560 crore between 2016 and 2017 towards a consortium of eight banks, including Central Bank of India, they said.

The agency has registered a case on the basis of a complaint from the bank, which allegedly suffered a loss of nearly Rs 82 crore, the officials said.

It is alleged that the firm showed inflated stock statements to induce the banks into issuing credit facilities, they said.

It had claimed the stock was valued at Rs 92.45 crore but SBI and Central Bank of India officials found during inspections that negligible stock was available at the company site.

"It clearly shows that the borrowers have diverted the funds and it appears that the company has disposed of the stock with dishonest and mala fide intention without adjusting banks dues," the bank said in its complaint, which is now a part of the FIR.

The bank alleged the company defrauded it and caused wrongful loss to the extent of outstanding balance of Rs 81.39 crore to it.