The Registrar of Companies, Bangalore, passed an adjudication order under Section 454 of the Companies Act, 2013, for violation of Section 155 relating to holding multiple Director Identification Numbers (DINs). The director had originally obtained a DIN in 2012 but later, after a long gap and without awareness of the existing DIN, obtained a second DIN in March 2023. Upon realizing the duplication, she applied for surrender of the second DIN and filed a suo-motu adjudication application. The violation continued for 827 days until rectification in June 2025. After issuing a show cause notice and conducting a hearing, the authority concluded that the violation was established. Considering the nature of the default, its non-repetitive character, and absence of public interest impact, the authority imposed a reduced penalty of ₹1,15,750, being 25% of the maximum permissible penalty, payable within 90 days.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS
ROC Bangalore
Registrar Of Companies, ‘E’ Wing, 2nd Floor, Kendriya Sadana, Kormangala, Bangalore, Karnataka, India, 560034
Phone: 080-25633105,080-25537449
E-mail: roc.bangalore@mca.gov.in
Order ID: PO/ADJ/03-2026/BL/01760 Dated: 20/03/2026
ORDER FOR ADJUDICATION OF PENALTY UNDER SECTION 454 OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2013 (‘THE ACT’) FOR VIOLATION OF SECTION 159 OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2013.
A. Appointment of Adjudicating Officer:
Ministry of Corporate Affairs vide its Gazette notification number S.O. 831(E) dated 24/03/2015 appointed undersigned as Adjudicating Officer in exercise of the powers conferred by section 454 of the Companies Act, 2013 [herein after known as Act] read with Companies (Adjudication of Penalties) Rules, 2014 for adjudging penalties under the provisions of this Act.
B. Individual details:
In the matter relating to MOHANA RAJANNA ——
C. Provisions of the Act:
If any individual or director of a company makes any default in complying with any of the provisions of section 152, section 155 and section 156, such individual or director of the company shall be liable to a penalty which may extend to fifty thousand rupees and where the default is a continuing one, with a further penalty which may extend to five hundred rupees for each day after the first during which such default continues.
D. Facts about the case:
1. Default committed by the officers in default/noticee – Mrs. Mohana Rajanna, Director (DIN: 06379176) has filed a suo-motu adjudication application for violation of section 155 of the Act read with Rule 11 of Companies (Appointment of Directors) Rules, 2014. It is seen from the application that Mrs. Mohana Rajanna obtained her first DIN (Director Identification Number) (No. 06379176) on 12.09.2012 for appointment of direction in Furnishing 54 Interiors Private Limited. After company was struck off, she was not appointed in any company as director for a period of 9 years. Thereafter, she obtained her second DIN (No. 10075625) on 16.03.2023 inadvertently without any awareness of already existing first DIN for appointment of directorship in Velisha Ventures Private Limited.
Mrs. Mohana Rajanna, upon realisation of the mistake and violation committed, applied to surrender her second DIN vide DIR-5 SRN AB4808700. The form was sent for resubmission citing violation of section 155 of the Act, and further requiring the director to get the violation of section 155 of the Act adjudicated. Accordingly, this adjudication application has been filed.
In view of the above, Mrs. Mohana Rajanna has violated the provisions of section 155 of the Act for a duration of 827 days i.e. from 16.03.2023 to 19.06.2025.
2. The Director asked for a hearing and same was provided. The order is issued based on the application, notice for adjudication, replies received and submission made at the time of hearing.
E. Order:
1. Mr. Mohana Rajanna, Director (DIN: 06379176) has filed a suo-motu adjudication application for violation of section 155 of the Act read with Rule 11 of Companies (Appointment of Directors) Rules, 2014. It is seen from the application that Mrs. Mohana Rajanna obtained her first DIN (Director Identification Number) (No. 06379176) on 12.09.2012 for appointment of direction in Furnishing 54 Interiors Private Limited. After company was struck off, she was not appointed in any company as director for a period of 9 years. Thereafter, she obtained her second DIN (No. 10075625) on 16.03.2023 inadvertently without any awareness of already existing first DIN for appointment of directorship in Velisha Ventures Private Limited.
Mrs. Mohana Rajanna, upon realisation of the mistake and violation committed, applied to surrender her second DIN vide DIR-5 SRN AB4808700. The form was sent for resubmission citing violation of section 155 of the Act, and further requiring the director to get the violation of section 155 of the Act adjudicated. Accordingly, this adjudication application has been filed.
In view of the above, Mrs. Mohana Rajanna has violated the provisions of section 155 of the Act for a duration of 827 days i.e. from 16.03.2023 to 19.06.2025.
Pursuant to the adjudication application filed by the Director, show cause notice dated 30.12.2025 was sent to the director through e-Adjudication module and through email. Subsequently, e-hearing notice dated 04.03.2026 was sent which was scheduled on 09.03.2026 and attended by Mr. Sourabh Kumar Shukla, practising company secretory and authorized representative who reiterated the submissions made in the adjudication application filed and requested for nominal penalty. This order is issued based on the application, notice for adjudication, replies received and submission made during hearing.
It is established that there is a violation of section 155 of the Act for the duration of 16.03.2023 to 19.06.2025 i.e. 827 days which is punishable under section 159 of the Act which provides for a maximum one-time penalty of fifty thousand rupees and further maximum penalty of five hundred rupees for each day after the first during which the default continues.
Therefore, having considered the facts and circumstances of the case and the submissions made by the director through his authorised representative as detailed above, and in exercise of the powers vested under section 454(3)(a) of the Companies Act 2013, I do hereby impose 25% of the maximum penalty in the following manner on the director considering the nature of default, its non-repeating nature and no injury caused to public interest in accordance with provisions of Rule 3(12) of the Companies (Adjudication of Penalties) Rules, 2014.
2. The details of penalty imposed on the company, officers in default and others are shown in the table below:
| (A)
|
Name of person on whom penalty imposed (B) | Rectification of Default required (C) | Penalty Amount (D) | Additional Penalty (E) (*Per day of continuing default i.e. date of rectification of default less order issue date) | Maximum limit for Penalty (F) |
| 1 | Mohana Rajanna having DIN as 06379716 |
|
115750 | 0 | 463000 |
3. The notified officers in default/noticee shall rectify the default mentioned above and pay the penalty, so applicable within 90 days of receipt of the order.
4. The notified officers in default/noticee shall pay the penalty amount via ‘e-Adjudication’ facility which can be accessed through the respective login IDs on the website of Ministry of Corporate Affairs and upload the copy of paid challan / SRN of e-filing (if applicable) on the ‘e-Adjudication’ portal itself. It is also directed that the penalty so imposed upon the officers in default shall be paid from their personal sources/income.
5. Appeal against this order may be filed in writing with the Regional Director, RD Bangalore within a period of sixty days from the date of receipt of this order, in Form ADJ setting for the grounds of appeal and shall be accompanied by a certified copy of this order [Section 454 (5) & 454 (6) of the Act, read with Companies (Adjudication of Penalties) Rules, 2014].
6. For penal consequences of non-payment of penalty within the prescribed time limit, please refer Section 454(8) of the Companies Act, 2013.
Manoj Bang,
Registrar of Companies
ROC Bangalore
