NEW DELHI: Fortis Healthcare on Saturday said the Supreme Court of India ordering a status quo on its deal with IHH Healthcare Berhad does not impact the company’s 31.1% stake sale to the Malaysian firm.
However, this order could have a bearing on IHH’s proposed open offer to acquire additional 26% stake in Fortis. The open offer is scheduled to be launched from December 18 to January 1, 2019.
On Friday, the Supreme Court had ordered status quo with regard to the sale of controlling stakes of Fortis to IHH Healthcare Berhad by former Ranbaxy promoters and hospital operators — Malvinder and Shivinder Singh.
The apex court was hearing the plea of Japanese firm Daiichi Sankyo, which is seeking to recover Rs 3,500 crore, awarded to it by a Singapore tribunal in its case against Malvinder and Shivinder Singh.
“We would also like to emphasise that this order does not impact the preferential allotment that was made to Northern TK Ventures, a wholly owned subsidiary of IHH Healthcare Berhad, by Fortis on November 13, 2018…consequent to which IHH Healthcare Berhad owns 31.1% equity stake in Fortis,” the healthcare major said in a statement.
The company said it was currently evaluating the order and seeking appropriate legal advice to decide its future course of action. Fortis also clarified that it was not a party to the judicial proceedings in which the Supreme Court order had been passed.
“As we have reiterated many times earlier, the ex-promoters are no longer a part of Fortis,” the statement said.
Fortis said the judicial proceedings on Friday were in matters solely related to Singh brothers, specifically, in connection with the alleged transfer of their shares to Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd.
Singh brother had pledged their shares in Fortis to Indiabulls Housing Finance. Daiichi Sankyo, which filed the contempt plea against the Singh brothers in the Supreme Court, had said that it was promised some shares of Fortis Healthcare by the Singh brothers.
The top court also issued notices to the Singh brothers asking them to explain as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for allegedly violating its earlier order by pledging the shares.
The board of Fortis Healthcare had in July approved a proposal from IHH Healthcare to invest Rs 4,000 crore by way of preferential allotment for a 31.1% stake.
Source: Press Trust of India
