Tag: Shell Companies

In recent years, SPACs, or ‘Special Purpose Acquisition Companies’, have snaked their way into the lexicon of every investor worth its salt. SPACs are the shiniest new ‘instrument’ on the block and the numbers lend into the hype; for instance, 2020 witnessed the execution of a record 248 SPACs raising a collective USD 83 billion on NASDAQ , even as the world succumbed to a pandemic. Further, it is estimated that there are now close to 400 SPACs on the market with more than USD 120 Billion on their balance sheets. ... ...

In the past few years, 'panama' and 'paradise', rather than signalling sunshine and rainbows, have been frequently evoked in the context of the 'shell corporations' which were incorporated in various off-shore tax havens. 'Shell companies' are simply an 'outer cover', 'a protective layer' that frequently have only a paper existence with no real assets, liabilities or operations. They therefore generate no economic activity but do impart separate corporate legal personality to the structure. Various news reports and ministry circulars emphasize the efforts being undertaken to curb the sprouting up and regulating of shell companies in India. However, despite the pro-active measures taken by the Government, sizeable issues remain in the operation, implementation and harmonisation of the same. ...