No exposure to HDIL, PMC Bank, says DHFL

New Delhi: Debt-laden Dewan Housing Finance Corp Ltd (DHFL) on Tuesday said it has no exposure to HDIL and Punjab & Maharashtra Co-operative Bank, and cautioned against misleading reports that can trigger panic.

There have been speculations or rumour mongering about DHFL and possible exposure to Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL)/ PMC Bank, it said in a regulatory filing.

"DHFL does not have any exposure to either of them. We would urge everyone to be responsible and not report/state anything incorrect and baseless, which can cause panic amongst the stakeholders in DHFL, especially when the company is in discussions with various stakeholders for finalisation of its debt resolution plan," it said.

Also, DHFL's promoter family had separated from HDIL promoters in 2008, and the separation was effected formally by a family-separation agreement in April 2010, it said.

"Pursuant to this, the promoters of DHFL & HDIL, and HDIL ceased to be promoters of each other's companies," it added.

Earlier on Tuesday, the crisis-hit HDIL said the loans taken from banks including from Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank were in normal course of business after providing adequate security cover and that it is ready to discuss with the bank to protect the interest of depositors.

The Mumbai Police on Monday had filed a case against the former bank management and promoters of HDIL in Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank case and said a special investigation team will be probing the case.

In late September, the Reserve Bank had put a curb on withdrawal limit for customers of PMC Bank at Rs 1,000 in six months, which was later raised to Rs 10,000 after protests by the depositors.

The ex-MD of PMC Bank Joy Thomas, who was suspended following the crisis in the bank surfaced to the fore, has reportedly admitted to the RBI that the bank's actual exposure to the bankrupt HDIL is over Rs 6,500 crore which is four times the regulatory cap or a whopping 73 per cent of its entire assets of Rs 8,880 crore.

As per initial investigations by the police, the bank's losses since 2008 were Rs 4,355.46 crore.

HDIL said its books of accounts are audited and reflect true and fair picture of the company's business.

"The company has over a period of time availed of banking facilities from various banks and institutions including PMC Bank in the normal course of business," HDIL Vice Chairman and MD Sarang Wadhawan said in a regulatory filing.

DHFL, as on July 6, 2019, had total debt outstanding of Rs 83,873 crore of which Rs 74,055 crore is secured loans and Rs 9,818 crore unsecured.

The housing financier is supposed to reach a debt resolution plan with its lenders shortly so that new funds start flowing into the company.

To generate capital, DHFL has sold its strategic investments, even in core retail financial services firms like Avanse, Aadhar, DHFL Pramerica AMC.

It said, the company, in the past 12 months has repaid obligations of nearly Rs 45,000 crore, which is nearly 40 per cent of its current balance sheet size.