Section 235: Letter of request to a country outside India in certain cases

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 • Official Statutory Text & Practice Guide

Statutory Regulation
Legal Standard
Competent Court / Tribunal
Act 2016

Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 235

Section 235 provides for the issuance of a Letter of Request by the Adjudicating Authority to a foreign court or authority to deal with assets of a debtor located abroad.

  • Application by Resolution Professional: The resolution professional, liquidator, or bankruptcy trustee may apply to the Adjudicating Authority for issuance of a Letter of Request.
  • Foreign Evidence or Asset Seizure: Sought where evidence or action is required regarding property, bank accounts, or books of the corporate debtor situated in a reciprocating foreign territory.
  • Judicial Transmission: The Adjudicating Authority transmits a formal Letter of Request to the competent court or authority in the foreign country requesting judicial assistance.
Key Landmark Precedents:
  • State Bank of India v. Jet Airways (India) Ltd. (NCLAT 2019): Affirmed the utility of judicial letters of request and cross-border cooperation to prevent dissipation of aircraft and overseas assets.
  • Swiss Ribbons Pvt. Ltd. v. Union of India (2019) 4 SCC 17: Observed that Section 235 equips Indian insolvency tribunals with international discovery and asset-tracing reach.
Courtroom Practice & Strategic Litigation Guidance:

Trustees and liquidators seeking Letters of Request under Section 235 must provide specific, certified details of foreign assets (such as bank routing numbers or land registry coordinates) to ensure foreign courts execute the request.