Jindal Saw Limited
Report on the Audit of the Standalone Financial Statements
Opinion
1. We have audited the accompanying standalone financial statements of Jindal Saw Limited ("the Company”), which comprise the Standalone Balance Sheet as at March 31, 2024, and the Standalone Statement of Profit and Loss (including Other Comprehensive Income), the Standalone Statement of Changes in Equity and the Standalone Statement of Cash Flows for the year then ended, and notes to the standalone financial statements, including material accounting policy information and other explanatory information and which include the financial statements of Samruddhi Employees Trust (the "Trust”) for the year ended on that date.
2. In our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanations given to us, the aforesaid standalone financial statements give the information required by the Companies Act, 2013 ("the Act”) in the manner so required and give a true and fair view in conformity with the accounting principles generally accepted in India, of the state of affairs of the Company as at March 31, 2024, and total comprehensive income (comprising of profit and other comprehensive income), changes in equity and its cash flows for the year then ended.
Basis for Opinion
3. We conducted our audit in accordance with the Standards on Auditing (SAs) specified under Section 143(10) of the Act. Our responsibilities under those Standards are further described in the "Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Standalone Financial Statements” section of our report. We are independent of the Company in accordance with the Code of Ethics issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India together with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the standalone financial statements under the provisions of the Act and the Rules thereunder, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements and the Code of Ethics. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion..
Key audit matters
4. Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the standalone financial statements of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the standalone financial statements as a whole and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.
Key audit matter:4.1 Assessment of the carrying value of investment in and loans granted to a subsidiary, Jindal ITF Limited [Refer to note 63 to the Standalone Financial Statements]Description of Key Audit Matter:
The Company has an investment of ' 70,242.66 lakhs and has advanced loans aggregating ' 1,35,042.22 lakhs to its subsidiary, Jindal ITF Limited (the 'subsidiary') as at March 31, 2024.
The subsidiary had entered into a contract in the financial year 2015-16 with a public sector undertaking ('PSU') for transporting imported coal to one of the PSU's power generating stations. The contract was for a period of seven years and the subsidiary was the sole transporter and accordingly, had made significant investments to develop the facility. The contract had a clause for compensation in case the supply was lesser than the minimum guaranteed quantity ('MGQ') mentioned in the contract and had specific clauses to be adhered to by both the parties before terminating the contract.
The PSU stopped taking the supplies during the first year of operation and refused to pay compensation towards MGQ and terminated the contract subsequently. The matter was referred to arbitration where the arbitrator had awarded an interim award amounting to ' 35,631.18 lakhs in favour of the subsidiary relating to first 2 years of MGQ which was paid by the PSU, against an equivalent amount of bank guarantee furnished by the subsidiary. Subsequently, the arbitrator issued the final order in favour of the subsidiary awarding ' 1,89,108 lakhs plus interest and applicable taxes.
The PSU filed an appeal with Hon'ble High Court of Delhi against the final arbitration order. The Hon'ble High Court passed an interim order directing the PSU to pay ' 50,000 lakhs as an interim compensation which was paid by the PSU against an equivalent amount of bank guarantee furnished by the subsidiary. Currently, the matter is under litigation and pending before the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi. The management, in consultation with their legal counsel on the likely outcome of the case, has assessed that the carrying amount of investments in and loans granted to the subsidiary including interest thereon, are good and recoverable.
This has been determined as a key audit matter as the investment made, and loans granted are material to the Standalone Financial Statements and the subsidiary is currently having insignificant operations. Further, the recovery of investment and loan granted depends on the ultimate recovery of the remaining compensation from the PSU by the subsidiary.
How our audit addressed the key audit matter:
We performed the following procedures:
• Understood and evaluated the design and performed testing of operating effectiveness of controls over recognition and assessment of recoverability of the investment in and the loans given to the subsidiary.
• Obtained an understanding of the matter and enquired about updates over the legal case and the proceedings that took place during the year.
• Evaluated appropriateness of the accounting policy of the Company in respect of impairment assessment of equity investments and loans given.
• Perused the contract between the subsidiary and the PSU to corroborate the matters stated in the appeal and details of the claim filed by the subsidiary with the Arbitration Tribunal and the final arbitration order issued in this regard.
• Evaluated the recoverability of the said loans and investments considering the arbitration order decided in favour of the subsidiary.
• Evaluated the opinion obtained from the Company's external legal counsel on likely outcome of the case which supports the Company's assessment about recoverability of the said loan and investment balances.
• Evaluated the appropriateness of presentation and adequacy of the disclosures made in the standalone financial statements.
Based on the procedures above, the management's assessment of the carrying value of the investment and loans in the said subsidiary was considered to be reasonable.
4.2 Appropriateness of Accounting for Business Combinations during the year [Refer to note 61 to the Standalone Financial Statements].Description of Key Audit Matter:
During the year, the Company has acquired (i) Sathavahana Ispat Limited ("SIL") on April 26, 2023 pursuant to the resolution plan under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code ("IBC") approved by the National Company Law Tribunal ("NCLT") vide its Order dated March 31, 2023, and (ii) two subsidiaries, namely, Jindal Quality Tubular Limited ("JQTL") and Jindal Tubular India Limited ("JTIL") and one associate, namely Jindal Fittings Limited ("JFL") with effect from April 1, 2022 pursuant to the composite scheme of amalgamation ("Scheme") approved by the NCLT vide its Order dated March 21, 2024.
The acquisition of JTIL and JQTL has been accounted for as a business combination of entities under common control, and the acquisition of JFL and SIL has been accounted for in accordance with the acquisition method as prescribed under Ind AS 103 'Business Combinations' and in accordance with the Scheme.
In respect of acquisition of SIL and JFL, the management engaged valuation experts ("management's experts") to determine the fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed for the purpose of allocation of the purchase price and determination of the resultant Goodwill/ Capital Reserve as on the date of acquisition.
We considered the appropriateness of accounting for the above business combinations as a key audit matter due to the following:
• Complexity of the above transactions and the related accounting treatment as per the applicable accounting standards;
• Significant management estimation and use of assumptions required in the determination of fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, and the computation of the resulting Goodwill/ Capital Reserve.
. How our audit addressed the key audit matter:
We performed the following procedures:
• Understood and evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of the Company's controls over the accounting for business combinations.
• Read the resolution plan and the Scheme, as approved by the NCLT, to obtain an understanding of the business combination transactions and to assess the appropriateness of the accounting treatment.
• Evaluated the appropriateness of the Company's accounting policy for accounting for business combinations.
• Assessed the independence and competence of the management's experts.
• Read the valuation reports of the management's experts and with the involvement of auditor's expert, assessed the appropriateness of the valuation methodology and key assumptions such as discount rate, long-term growth rates and weight average cost of capital.
• Evaluated the appropriateness of accounting treatment and disclosures made by the Company for these business combinations in accordance with the requirements of Ind AS 103, and the Scheme .
Based on the above audit procedures, accounting for business combinations during the year was considered to be reasonable.
Other Information
5. The Company's Board of Directors is responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Annual report, but does not include the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon.
Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Responsibilities of management and those charged with governance for the standalone financial statements
6. The Company's Board of Directors is responsible for the matters stated in Section 134(5) of the Act with respect to the preparation of these standalone financial statements that give a true and fair view of the financial position, financial performance, changes in equity and cash flows of the Company in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in India, including the Accounting Standards specified under Section 133 of the Act. This responsibility also includes maintenance of adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisions of the Act for safeguarding of the assets of the Company and for preventing and detecting frauds and other irregularities; selection and application of appropriate accounting policies; making judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and design, implementation and maintenance of adequate internal financial controls, that were operating effectively for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the accounting records, relevant to the preparation and presentation of the financial statements that give a true and fair view and are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
7. In preparing the standalone financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Company or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so. Those Board of Directors are also responsible for overseeing the Company's financial reporting process.
Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the standalone financial statements
8. Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the standalone financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with SAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually
or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these standalone financial statements.
9. As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the standalone financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances. Under Section 143(3) (i) of the Act, we are also responsible for expressing our opinion on whether the Company has adequate internal financial controls with reference to financial statements in place and the operating effectiveness of such controls.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by management.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of management's use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor's report to the related disclosures in the standalone financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor's report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Company to cease to continue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
10. We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
11. We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.
12. From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the standalone financial statements of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor's report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.
Other Matters
13. The standalone financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2023 have been restated from April 1, 2022 to give effect of the composite scheme of amalgamation ("Scheme”) as described in Note 61.1 of the standalone financial statements. The financial statements of Jindal Quality Tubular Limited, Jindal Tubular India Limited and Jindal Fittings Limited (the transferor companies) for the year ended March 31, 2023, considered to give effect of the Scheme were audited by other auditors, who vide their respective audit reports dated April 14, 2023 issued an unmodified opinion on those financial statements. We have not audited the restated figures for the year ended March 31, 2023 and relied upon these reports furnished to us by the Management.
14. We did not audit the financial statements of the Trust included in the standalone financial statements of the Company, which constitute total assets of ' 1,091.62 lakhs and net assets of ' (60.06) lakhs as at March 31, 2024, total income of ' 130.34 lakhs, net excess of expenditure over income of ' (130.97) lakhs and net cash flows amounting to ' 32.27 lakhs for the year then ended. These financial statements have been audited by other auditors whose report has been furnished to us by the management, and our opinion on the standalone financial statements in so far as it relates to the amounts and disclosures included in respect of the Trust, is based solely on the report of such other auditor.
Our opinion is not modified in respect of above matters.
Report on other legal and regulatory requirements
15. As required by the Companies (Auditor's Report) Order, 2020 ("the Order”), issued by the Central Government of India in terms of subsection (11) of Section 143 of the Act, we give in the Annexure B a statement on the matters specified in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the
Order, to the extent applicable.
16. As required by Section 143(3) of the Act, we report that:
(a) We have sought and obtained all the information and explanations which to the best of our knowledge and belief were necessary for the purposes of our audit.
(b) In our opinion, proper books of account as required by law have been kept by the Company so far as it appears from our examination of those books, except for the matters stated in paragraph 16(h) (vi) below on reporting under Rule 11(g) of the Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014 (as amended) ("the Rules”).
(c) The Standalone Balance Sheet, the Standalone Statement of Profit and Loss (including other comprehensive income), the Standalone Statement of Changes in Equity and the Standalone Statement of Cash Flows dealt with by this Report are in agreement with the books of account.
(d) In our opinion, the aforesaid standalone financial statements comply with the Accounting Standards specified under Section 133 of the Act.
(e) On the basis of the written representations received from the directors as on March 31, 2024, taken on record by the Board of Directors, none of the directors is disqualified as on March 31, 2024, from being appointed as a director in terms of Section 164(2) of the Act.
(f) With respect to the maintenance of accounts and other matters connected therewith, reference is made to our remarks in paragraph 16(h) (vi) below on reporting under Rule 11(g) of the Rules.
(g) With respect to the adequacy of the internal financial controls with reference to financial statements of the Company and the operating effectiveness of such controls, refer to our separate Report in "Annexure A”.
(h) With respect to the other matters to be included in the Auditor's Report in accordance with Rule 11 of the Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2024, in our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanations given to us:
i. The Company has disclosed the impact of pending litigations on its financial position in its financial statements - Refer Note 52 to the standalone financial statements;
ii. The Company has long-term contracts as at March 31, 2024 for which there are no material foreseeable losses. The Company did not have any long-term derivative contracts as at March 31, 2024;
iii. There has been no delay in transferring amounts, required to be transferred, to the Investor Education and Protection Fund by the Company except in respect of dividend amounting to ' 97.15 lakhs which according to the information and explanation provided to us by the management, has been kept in abeyance due to legal cases [refer note 30 to the standalone financial statements];
iv. (a) The management has represented that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, as disclosed in Note 50(k) (I) to the
standalone financial statements, no funds have been advanced or loaned or invested (either from borrowed funds or share premium or any other sources or kind of funds) by the Company to or in any other person(s) or entity(ies), including foreign entities ("Intermediaries”), with the understanding, whether recorded in writing or otherwise, that the Intermediary shall, whether, directly or indirectly, lend or invest in other persons or entities identified in any manner whatsoever by or on behalf of the Company ("Ultimate Beneficiaries”) or provide any guarantee, security or the like on behalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries;
(b) The management has represented that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, as disclosed in the Note 50(k) (II) to the standalone financial statements, no funds have been received by the Company from any person(s) or entity(ies), including foreign entities ("Funding Parties”), with the understanding, whether recorded in writing or otherwise, that the Company shall, whether, directly or indirectly, lend or invest in other persons or entities identified in any manner whatsoever by or on behalf of the Funding Party ("Ultimate Beneficiaries”) or provide any guarantee, security or the like on behalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries; and
(c) Based on such audit procedures that we considered reasonable and appropriate in the circumstances, nothing has come to our notice that has caused us to believe that the representations under sub-clause (a) and (b) contain any material misstatement.
v. The dividend declared and paid during the year by the Company is in compliance with Section 123 of the Act.
vi. Based on our examination, which included test checks, the Company has a widely used ERP as its accounting software for maintaining its books of account which has a feature of recording audit trail (edit log) facility and that has operated throughout the financial year for all relevant transactions recorded in the said software except (a) for modification made by certain users with specific access; and (b) that the audit trail (edit log) for certain information or data and at the database level (which records only the modified values) was enabled for a part of the year. During the course of performing our procedures, we did not notice any instance of audit trail feature being tampered with, for the period the audit trail feature was enabled. Also, refer note 47 to the standalone financial statements.
17. The Company has paid/ provided for managerial remuneration in accordance with the requisite approvals mandated by the provisions of Section 197 read with Schedule V to the Act.
For Price Waterhouse Chartered Accountants LLP
Firm Registration Number: 012754N/N500016
Sougata Mukherjee
Partner
Membership Number: 057084
UDIN: 24057084BKFOAZ4434
Place: Gurugram
Date: May 7, 2024
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