#Collaboration Agreement

A photocopy of a collaboration agreement cannot be treated as a dutiable instrument, so the stamp duty and penalty imposed were set aside and refunded with interest. This clarifies that only original, registered instruments attract stamp duty under the Indian Stamp Act, affecting parties filing such agreements.

NCLAT rules that unsold inventory in a RERA-registered project must be included in the corporate debtor’s asset pool during CIRP, even if the collaboration agreement is disputed or non-enforceable. This holding strengthens creditor claims and prevents developers from shielding project assets from insolvency proceedings.