Krishnava Dutt

Practice Areas

Corporate and M&A, Private Equity & Venture Capital, Banking & Finance, Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency, Energy and Infrastructure, Estate & Succession Planning

Career

Krishnava is the Founder and Managing Partner of Argus Partners and sits on the executive committee, which advises the Firm on various strategic initiatives. He has led the Firm from its inception in 2009, now with offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Kolkata. He advises some of the largest corporate houses and their boards on various matters including corporate governance and board responsibility.

Krishnava has been the lead adviser in some of the largest and most complex M&A and financing transactions. He is regularly sought out by CEOs, CFOs, GCs, and legal heads of large multinational corporations, government agencies, and funds for his unique mix of in-depth knowledge of law and regulatory matters, coupled with a very keen understanding of finance, accounts, and business issues. He has been consistently recognised for building Argus Partners into a leading national-level firm.

Professional Memberships

West Bengal Bar Council.

Patron member of Bar Association of India.

Member of Society of Indian Law Firms.

Member of the National Regulatory Committee of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

Appointed as member of the committee of Department of Justice, Ministry of Law, Government of India on Ease of Doing Business - Enforcement of Contracts.

Appointed as member of the committee of Department of Justice, Ministry of Law, Government of India on Legal Aid and Pro Bono work across the country.

Work Highlights

Represented the erstwhile HDFC Limited (since merged with HDFC Bank) before the Supreme Court, against IL&FS.

Advised the Board of Control for Cricket in India on the tendering of media rights for the Indian Premier League for more than USD 6 billion, making it the 2nd most valued sporting league in the world in terms of per match value.

Advised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the historic Women’s Premier League (“WPL”) teams auction.

Advised on India's largest ever merger to create India's second largest bank, HDFC Bank.

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 HDFC Limited on its acquisition of a stake in Yes Bank made pursuant to a scheme of reconstruction of Yes Bank notified by the central government owing to the deteriorating financial health of Yes Bank.

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.

Advised GRUH Finance (a subsidiary of HDFC Limited) on its merger with Bandhan Bank. This deal pertained to a merger of a listed bank with a listed housing finance company. This deal was one of the largest in the financial services sector with a combined market cap of USD 12 billion.

Advised the Committee of Creditors of Binani Cement Limited, which has been one of the most contentious matters under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.

Advised the resolution professional of Monnet Ispat & Energy Limited. This was one of the first twelve largest cases referred by the Reserve Bank of India for resolution under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.

Advised Edelweiss in connection with the strategic debt restructuring of Adhunik Power and Natural Resources Limited.

Advised HDFC Limited on the acquisition of L&T General Insurance by HDFC ERGO General Insurance.

Advised Mukand Limited on its joint venture with Sumitomo Corporation, Japan.

Advised Tega Industries Limited on its resolution plan for acquisition of McNally Sayaji Engineering Limited.

Awards