The Registrar of Companies, Mumbai I, issued an adjudication order dated 17.06.2026 under Section 454 of the Companies Act, 2013, in respect of Pepperfry Limited and Mr. Ashish Dashrath Shah, Whole Time Director, for violation of Section 450 read with Rule 8(3) of the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014. The matter arose from a suo motu adjudication application filed by the director admitting incorrect particulars in Form AOC-4 XBRL for FY 2024-25, including the AGM date, due date of AGM, and due date after extension. A show cause notice was issued, the default was admitted, and no e-hearing was sought or considered necessary. The Adjudicating Officer held that the authorised signatory was responsible for the correctness of the e-form and imposed a penalty of ₹10,000 on Mr. Ashish Dashrath Shah under Section 450. The order directs rectification by filing a new Form AOC-4 XBRL without changing the financial statements or enclosures adopted by the shareholders, states that the order is limited to rectification of the e-form, requires payment of the penalty within 90 days, and provides for an appeal before the Regional Director, Mumbai.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS
ROC Mumbai I
100, Everest, Marine Drive, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, 400002
Phone: 022-22812627
E-mail: roc.mumbai@mca.gov.in
Order ID: PO/ADJ/06-2026/MH/02329 | Dated: 17/06/2026
ORDER FOR ADJUDICATION OF PENALTY UNDER SECTION 454 OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2013 (THE ACT’) FOR VIOLATION OF SECTION 450 OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2013.
A. Appointment of Adjudicating Officer:
Ministry of Corporate Affairs vide its Gazette notification number S.O. 698(E) dated 10/02/2026 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. Company details:
In the matter relating to PEPPERFRY LIMITED [herein after known as Company] bearing CIN U74990MH2011PLC220126, is a company registered with this office under the Provisions of the Companies Act, 2013/1956 having its registered office situated at 06 GBD INDUSTRIAL BUILDING NO. 6, SURVEY NO. 35, OFF VILLAGE VIKHROLI, C.T.S. NO. 31, PIROJSHA NAGAR, VIKHROLI WEST, MUMBAI MUMBAI MUMBAI MAHARASHTRA INDIA 400079
Individual details:
In the matter relating to ASHISH DASHARATH SHAH
C. Provisions of the Act:
If a company or any officer of a company or any other person contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder, or any condition, limitation or restriction subject to which any approval, sanction, consent, confirmation, recognition, direction or exemption in relation to any matter has been accorded, given or granted, and for which no penalty or punishment is provided elsewhere in this Act, the company and every officer of the company who is in default or such other person shall be l[liable to a penalty of ten thousand rupees, and in case of continuing contravention, with a further penalty of one thousand rupees for each day after the first during which the contravention continues, subject to a maximum of two lakh rupees in case of a company and fifty thousand rupees in case of an officer who is in default or any other person]
D. Facts about the case:
1. Default committed by the officers in default/noticee – Whereas the Registrar of Companies, Mumbai -I (hereinafter referred to as the ROC, Mumbai I) is in receipt of a suo-motu Adjudication Application on 21.05.2026 filed by Mr. Ashish Dashrath Shah, Whole time Director (DIN: 03556370) (hereinafter referred to as the Applicant) under Section 454 of the Companies Act, 2013 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) on account of filing incorrect details in E-form AOC-4 XBRL for Financial Year 2024-25 (hereinafter referred to as FY 2024-25).
Whereas Rule 8(1) and (3) of the Companies (The Registration Office and Fees) Rules, 2014 are reads as follows:
(1) An electronic form shall be authenticated by authorised signatories using digital signature.
xxx
(3) The authorised signatory and the professional, if any, who certify e-form shall be responsible for the correctness of the contents of e-form and correctness of the enclosures attached with the electronic form.
Whereas the applicants stated that the Company had filed form AOC-4 for the F.Y. 2024-25 vide SRN AC1981287 on 31.01.2026. The Applicant stated that while filing the said E-form the applicant inadvertently was mentioned the following
details incorrectly :
i. The date of AGM as 23.12.2025 instead of 31.12.2025,
ii. The due date of AGM was mentioned as 23.12.2025 instead of 30.09.2025.
iii. The due date of AGM after grant of extension was mentioned as 30.12.2025 instead of 31.12.2025.
The said form was digitally signed, and declaration made by Mr. Ashish Dashrath Shah, Whole time Director (DIN: 03556370).
Whereas the authorized signatory, who certifies e-form shall be responsible for the correctness of the contents of e-form and correctness of the enclosures attached with the electronic form as required under the proviso of Rule 8(3) of Companies (The Registration Office and Fees) Rules, 2014. Thus, Mr. Ashish Dashrath Shah, Whole time Director (DIN: 03556370) is liable to penalty subject to the provisions Section 450 of the Companies Act, 2013.
2. The Noticee did not request for an E- hearing and the Adjudicating officer is also of the view that no E-hearing is required in the instant case.
E. Order:
1. A. Show Cause notice bearing ID: SCN/ADJ/05-2026/MH/04634 dated 01.06.2026 was issued to the Officer in default viz. Mr. Ashish Dashrath Shah, Whole time Director (DIN: 03556370) (hereinafter referred to as the Noticee) under Section 454 read with Section 450 of the Act for default under Rule 8(1) and Rule 8(3) of the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014 of the Act on account of incorrect filing of E-form AOC-4 XBRL for FY 2024-25.
B. A reply of the noticee to the said Show Cause Notice was received on the E-adjudication portal on 02.06.2026 and admitted the default.
C. The Noticee did not request for an E- hearing and the Adjudicating officer is also of the view that no E-hearing is required in the instant case.
D. On perusal of the Application and considering the facts, it is observed that the Company filed E-Form AOC-4 XBRL vide SRN AC1981287 on 31.01.2026. However, while the said E-form the applicant inadvertently was mentioned the following details incorrectly:
i. The date of AGM as 23.12.2025 instead of 31.12.2025,
ii. The due date of AGM was mentioned as 23.12.2025 instead of 30.09.2025.
iii. The due date of AGM after grant of extension was mentioned as 30.12.2025 instead of 31.12.2025.
The said form got auto approved under Straight through Process (STP) mode. Certification of E-form which was in AOC-4
XBRL resulted in contravention of Rule 8(3) of the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014 of the Act.
E. The Rule 8(1) and Rule 8(3) of the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014 of the Act reads as under: 1.An electronic form shall be authenticated by authorised signatories using digital signature.
3. The authorized signatory and the professional, if any, who certify e-form shall be responsible for the correctness of the contents of e-form and correctness of the enclosures attached with the electronic form.
F. Further, the aforementioned E-form AOC-4 XBRL was digitally signed, and Declaration was given by Mr. Ashish Dashrath Shah, Whole time Director (DIN: 03556370). Thus, he is liable for a penalty under Section 450 of the Act for default under Rule 8(3) of the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014 of the Act.
G. The period of default is considered to be the date of filing Form AOC-4 XBRL that is 31.01.2026. Therefore, the officer in default namely Mr. Ashish Dashrath Shah, Whole time Director (DIN: 03556370) shall be liable to a penalty of Rs. 10,000/-(Rupees Ten Thousand Only). The Company does not fall under the provisions of Section 2(85) of the Act.
H. Now, in exercise of the powers conferred on the Adjudicating Officer vide Notification dated 24th March by impose a penalty of Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand only) on Mr. Ashish Dashrath Shah, Whole time 03556370) under Section 450 of the Act for default under Rule 8(3) of the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014.
1.1 t is hereby clarified that while filing new Form AOC-4 XBRL, the Company shall not cause any change in financial statement and enclosures thereof as adopted by the Shareholders in General meeting which was filed in E-Form AOC-4 XBRL vide SRN AC1981287 on 31.01.2026.
J. Further, it is also clarified that order is limited to rectifying the mistake in E-form AOC-4 XBRL and it shall have no consequence except rectification of E-form AOC-4 XBRL.
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 | ASHISH DASHARATH SHAH having DIN as 03556370 | while filing new Form AOC-4 XBRL, the Company shall not cause any change in financial statement and enclosures thereof as adopted by the Shareholders in General meeting which was filed in E-Form AOC-4 XBRL vide SRN AC1981287 on 31.01.2026. | 10000 | 0 | 50000 |
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 Mumbai 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.
Chandan Kumar,
Registrar of Companies
ROC Mumbai I
