ROC Chhattisgarh Imposes ₹4 Lakh Penalty on Bhilai Investments Ltd for Non-Maintenance of Registered Office
Background and Overview
The Registrar of Companies, Chhattisgarh, exercising adjudicatory authority under Section 454 of the Companies Act, 2013, has passed a penalty order against Bhilai Investments Ltd and three of its officers for contravening Section 12(1) of the Companies Act, 2013, which in turn attracted penal consequences under Section 12(8) of the said Act. The adjudication order bearing Order ID: PO/ADJ/06-2026/BP/02341, dated 25/06/2026, was issued by the Registrar of Companies cum Official Liquidator, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.
The case traces its origin to official correspondence dispatched by the Regional Director's office to the company's registered address, which was returned undelivered by postal authorities — a fact that triggered regulatory scrutiny and ultimately led to penalty proceedings.
Key Takeaway: The return of official letters with the postal remark "Not Known and no such person in the address" was treated as conclusive evidence of the company's failure to maintain a functional registered office capable of receiving communications, as mandated under
Section 12(1)of the Companies Act, 2013.
Company and Officers Involved
The adjudication proceeding was initiated against the following parties:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Bhilai Investments Ltd |
| CIN | U67110CT1974PLC001286 |
| Registered Office | Industrial Area, Village Hathkhoj, NA Bhilai, Durg, Chhattisgarh – 490026 |
| Officer 1 | Rachna Jain (DIN: 00207539) |
| Officer 2 | Viren Rai Jain (DIN: 00237657) |
| Officer 3 | Arjun Rai Jain (DIN: 02700442) |
Appointment of Adjudicating Officer
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, through Gazette Notification No. S.O. 698(E) dated 10/02/2026, designated the undersigned officer as the Adjudicating Officer under Section 454 of the Companies Act, 2013, read in conjunction with the Companies (Adjudication of Penalties) Rules, 2014. This empowered the Registrar to determine and impose monetary penalties for violations of the provisions of the Act.
Relevant Legal Provisions
Section 12(1) — Mandatory Maintenance of Registered Office
Section 12(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 casts an obligation on every company to establish and maintain a registered office within thirty days of incorporation and to continue to do so at all times thereafter. The registered office must be capable of receiving and acknowledging all communications and notices addressed to the company.
Section 12(8) — Penal Consequences
Section 12(8) of the Companies Act, 2013 prescribes the following penalty for non-compliance with the requirements of Section 12:
"If any default is made in complying with the requirements of this section, the company and every officer who is in default shall be liable to a penalty of one thousand rupees for every day during which the default continues but not exceeding one lakh rupees."
This provision sets a daily penalty of ₹1,000, subject to a maximum ceiling of ₹1,00,000 per defaulting party.