Argus Partners

Corporate and M&A, Private Equity & Venture Capital, Finance, Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency, Real Estate, Competition, Labour & Employment

Partner

Arka’s experience of over a decade in corporate transactions is both rich and varied and encompasses mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate restructuring and general corporate. Arka has represented various multinationals, foreign investors and domestic entities in both primary and secondary investment. His deal repertoire includes various sectors such as steel, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and insurance.

Arka is also actively involved in the employment law vertical of the Firm and has rich and varied experience in advising various multinationals, foreign investors and domestic entities in employment and human resources issues, whether as part of a complex deal structure or on standalone advisory basis. Arka has also led a team in evaluating labour law compliances of large conglomerates. He also regularly advises his clients in structuring of stock option plans and setting up of employee welfare trusts.

His experience in complex transactions, coupled with excellent grasp of legal nuances, has made him sought after by his clients for coming up with innovative and practical solutions to intricate issues.

Apart from his expertise on general corporate laws, his experience in certain niche areas of laws such as real estate laws, has allowed him to offer develop result-oriented solutions to critical issues pertaining to different aspects of a transaction life-cycle.

Arka is also adept at tribunals/ courts based restructuring and has advised large conglomerates in their restructuring schemes.

Arka actively follows the ever-evolving jurisprudence relating to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and takes keen interest in critically analysing the development of law in this field, with reference and comparison to the jurisprudence of countries having a matured bankruptcy regime. His understanding of the jurisprudence has helped him in successfully advising the entire gamut of stakeholders in a CIRP proceeding, be it Resolution Professionals, Committees of Creditors, or Resolution Applicants in all respect of the process of insolvency, revival and liquidation of companies.

Arka graduated in the year 2008 from the National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), Kolkata and has worked with Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co., before joining the Firm in 2012.

Select Professional Experience

Advised Balrampur Chini Mills Limited to establish India’s first industrial bioplastics manufacturing plant. Advising Tata Steel in the merger of its seven metal companies into Tata Steel. Advised Tata Steel Limited, in their bid to acquire Rohit Ferro-Tech Limited through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tata Steel Mining Limited, under the aegis of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. Advised Tata Steel Limited on its proposed acquisition of Stork Ferro and Mineral Industries` ferro-alloy assets. “The asset acquisition will provide an inorganic growth opportunity for Tata Steel Limited to augment its Ferro alloys processing capacities” – Business Standard. Advised Tata Steel Limited on the acquisition of Usha Martin (Steel Division) in one of the largest deals in the steel sector outside the framework of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. (Recognised as IBLJ Deals of the Year 2019). Advised on the merger of Gruh Home Finance with Bandhan Bank. This deal was one of the largest in the financial services sector with a combined market cap of USD 12 billion. Advised India Resurgence Fund promoted by Piramal Enterprises Limited and Bain Capital Credit in its investment of up to Rs 615 crore ($83 million) in Gujarat-based Setco Group. Advised the committee of creditors under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 on the corporate insolvency resolution process of Binani Cements. Advised Resolution Professional in corporate insolvency process in respect of Concast Steel & Power Limited. Advised Tega Industries Limited on its resolution plan for acquisition of McNally Sayaji Engineering Limited. Advised Mindstone Mall Developers Private Limited, wholly owned subsidiary of the Phoenix Mills Limited, in acquiring approximately 7.48 acres of prime land in Alipore, Kolkata from Linde India Limited, for a total consideration of Rs. 300 crores.

Member of the Corporate Governance Sub-Committee of CII Eastern Region. Member of the CII Human Resource and Industrial Relations Sub-Committee in the Eastern Region. Bar Council of West Bengal.