We have audited the accompanying standalone Ind AS financial statements of White Organic Retail Limited("the company"),which comprise the Balance sheet as at March 31, 2024, the Statement of Profit and Loss, including the statement of OtherComprehensive Income, the Cash Flow Statement and the Statement of Changes in Equity for the year then ended March 31,2024, and notes to the standalone Ind AS financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies and otherexplanatory information.
In our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanations given to us, except for the possible effects ofthe matters described in the basis for qualified opinion paragraph below, the aforesaid standalone Ind AS financial statementsgive the information required by the Companies Act, 2013, as amended ("the Act") in the manner so required and give a trueand fair view in conformity with the Indian Accounting Standards prescribed under Section 133 of the Act read with theCompanies (Indian Accounting Standards) Rules, 2015, as amended, ("IND AS") and other accounting principles generallyaccepted in India, of the state of affairs of the Company as at March 31, 2022, its profit including other comprehensive income,its cash flows and the changes in equity for the year ended on that date.
Basis for Qualified Opinion
1. We draw your attention to Note 12 of the Standalone Financial Statements, which states that White Organic RetailLimited ("WORL" or "Company") had carried trades in previous financial periods on a back-to-back payment basis.Under such past period trades, it has not received payments from various debtors wherein the Company has taken adecision to not pay the creditors and loans availed for such trades.
The company has written off it's debtors and inter corporate deposits to the tune of INR 216.26 crores and further written backcreditors and loans payable to the tune of INR 199.97 crores during the Financial Year 2023-24. However, we have not been ableto perform any verification and confirmation procedures to validate the authenticity of the internal settlement transactions.Accordingly, we are unable to comment on above settlement and the consequential legal impact on the demand if any raisedfrom creditors and lenders going forward on the Standalone Financial Statements.
2. According to the SA 505 "External Confirmation" and SA 501 "Audit Evidence" issued by the ICAI, balances with respectto trade receivables, trade payables, Inter corporate deposits for validating outstanding balances during the year aresubject to confirmation. Accordingly, we have sent a total of 16 confirmation for confirming closing balances amountingto INR 469.19 crores as on 31th March 2024 (pre write off and write back) and to validate the one-time settlement.However, we have not received sufficient and appropriate confirmation from All parties for confirming balances andtransactions amounting to INR 469.19 crores. Hence, we are unable to comment on the completeness and valuation ofthese balances in respect of the year ended March 31, 2024.
3. According to the information and explanation given to us and based on the audit, the company has advanced significantbalances as trade advances amounting to INR 11.99 crores to related parties against which no stock/ services has beenreceived from the counterparties till May 28th, 2024. These advances can be construed as being in the nature of loansand attract non compliances under Companies Act 2013 since no approvals have been obtained in relation to the same.
4. According to the SA 505 "External Confirmation" and SA 501 "Audit Evidence" issued by the ICAI, balances with respectto banks for validating outstanding balances during the year are subject to confirmation. Accordingly, we have sent atotal of 7 bank confirmations for confirming closing balances amounting to INR 92,856.83/- as on March 31, 2024.However, we have not received sufficient and appropriate confirmation from 7 banks for confirming balancesamounting to INR 92,856.83/-. Hence, we are unable to comment on the completeness of these balances in respect ofthe year ended March 31, 2024.
5. According to the SA 501 "Audit Evidence" issued by the ICAI, balances with respect to banks for validating outstandingbalances during the year are subject to confirmation. Accordingly, we have not received bank statements of 5 bankaccounts to validate the transactions conducted in the same and having closing balances amounting to INR 92,856.83/-as on March 31, 2024 as per Books of accounts. Hence, we are unable to comment on the completeness and valuationof these transactions and balances in respect of the year ended March 31, 2024.
6. We draw your attention to Note 10 of the Standalone Financial Statements, which states that the Company has writtenoff Inventory of INR 0.15 Crores in the Standalone Financial Statements in the month of June 2023. The Managementhas represented that the same is on account of obsolete and expired stock items related to the Agro Segment whichhave been scrapped in June 2023. We were unable to conduct any physical verification procedures to validate the
inventory and the Company to validate and substantiate the obsoleteness of such stock item and validate that theinventory is not marketable. Hence, we are unable to express any opinion on such write off.
7. The Company has made purchases during the previous period with creditors as on March 31, 2024 to whom paymentsare outstanding for a period of over 180 days. Further Rule 37 of CGST Rule 2017 says that Input Tax Credit may bereversed (or amount added to output liability) in the return for the month immediately following 180 days. Interestmust be paid at the rate of 18% from the date of taking credit to the date on which reversal (or added to outputliability). However, the Company has not reversed GST to the tune of INR 0.33 crores on such credit balances.
8. The company did not have an effective interface and systems in places related to various functional software ofSales/Revenue, Inventory Management, accounting software and other key areas of the organization resulting inaccounting entries and inventory registers being made manually on for the year ended March 31, 2024, which mightlead to risk of misstatement.
9. The Company has not taken into consideration the implication of additions on account of Section 43B(h) of the IncomeTax Act specifically covers any sum payable by the assesses to micro or small enterprises (MSEs). This section ensuresthat MSEs receive timely payments within the stipulated time as determined by the Micro, Small and MediumEnterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006 hence we are unable to comment on the impact of the same on theincome tax provision.
10. The Company had purchased an intangible asset for technical fees during the financial year FY 22-23 for a project to beimplemented, however the same as per the Management explanation the same could not be materialized and theCompany has decided to write off the entire asset. We have not been able to validate the value and authenticity of theintangible asset and neither verify the use case for the same. Hence, we are unable to form an opinion on suchtransaction.
Material Uncertainty Related to Going Concern
The Company has incurred a net loss of INR 27.25 crore during the year ended March 31, 2024 which is on account of write backtransactions of creditors. The Company has further not been able to realize the debtors to the tune of INR 216.26 crores andwritten back creditors to the tune of INR 199.97 crores. Further the company also has unpaid income tax liability to the tune ofINR 3.18 crores including interest outstanding since last 2 year which the Company has not been able to service. The Companyhas not developed any business during the current financial year which gives any new sign of payment of such previousoutstanding liabilities. The above factors indicate that a material uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt on theCompany's ability to continue as a going concern. However, based on ongoing discussion with the new lenders and revisedbusiness plans, management is of the view that going concern basis of accounting is appropriate for preparation of theaccompanying Statement. Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter.
Emphasis of matter
1. We draw your attention to Note 07; of the standalone Financial Statements, which states that the Company is carryingsignificant balances as trade and other receivables including amounts outstanding from earlier accounting periods as onMarch 31, 2024. Further the Company has created a net expected credit loss provision to the tune of INR 4.36 Croresduring the FY 2023-24 in relation to recoverability of such debts after assessing the impact and status of suchreceivables with reference to the ageing profile, historical payment pattern, and the past record of the customer/vendor.
2. We draw your attention to Note 08 of the Standalone Financial Statements wherein that the Company has not yet paidSelf-Assessment Income Tax dues in relation to FY 21-22 as of May 28, 2024.
3. We draw your attention to Note 09 of the Standalone Financial Statements that the Company has not yet paid thestatutory dues as on March 31, 2024 to the tune of over INR 4.11 crores consisting of Self-Assessment Income TaxGross of INR 2.52 crores and interest payable INR 1.06 Crore, Professional Tax, Tax Deducted at Source Gross of INR
0.42 crore and interest payable INR 0.09 crore and GST payable on RCM basis amount of INR 0.06 crore.
Key Audit Matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the standaloneInd AS financial statements for the financial year ended March 31, 2024. These matters were addressed in the context of ouraudit of the standalone Ind AS financial statements as a whole and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide aseparate opinion on these matters. For each matter below, our description of how our audit addressed the matter is provided inthat context.
We have determined the matters described below to be the key audit matters to be communicated in our report. We havefulfilled the responsibilities described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the standalone Ind AS financial statements
section of our report, including in relation to these matters. Accordingly, our audit included the performance of proceduresdesigned to respond to our assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the standalone Ind AS financial statements. Theresults of our audit procedures, including the procedures performed to address the matters below, provide the basis for ouraudit opinion on the accompanying standalone Ind AS financial statement.
Key audit matters
How our audit addressed the key audit matter
Non-Payment of Statutory Dues
During the year, the Company has defaulted indepositing the following statutory dues with variousauthorities as on March 31, 2024
a. Tax Deducted at Source - INR 0.42 Crores
b. Professional Tax - INR 0.001Crores
c. GST RCM - INR 0.06 Crores
d. Income Tax - INR 2.53 Crores
Obtained details including ageing of various statutory duespayable by the Company to various authorities as at March31, 2024 from the Management.
Confirmed the accuracy of the statutory dues payable as atMarch 31, 2024 to various authorities from the relevantdocuments, challans and ledger accounts maintained by theCompany
Information Other than the Standalone Financial Statements and Auditor's Report Thereon
The Company's management and Board of Directors are responsible for the other information. The other information comprisesthe information included in the Board's report including annexures to the Board's report, but does not include the standaloneInd AS financial statements and our auditor's report thereon.
Our opinion on the standalone Ind AS financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express anyform of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the standalone Ind AS financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other informationand, in doing so, consider whether such other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or ourknowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, based on the work we have performed, weconclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothingto report in this regard.
Responsibilities of Management and Those Charged with Governance for the Standalone Ind AS Financial Statements
The Company's Management and Board of Directors are responsible for the matters stated in section 134(5) of the Act withrespect to the preparation of these standalone Ind AS financial statements that give a true and fair view of the state of affairs ofthe Company, view of the financial position, financial performance including other comprehensive income, cash flows andchanges in equity of the Company in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in India, including the IndianAccounting Standards (Ind AS) specified under section 133 of the Act read with the Companies (Indian Accounting Standards)Rules, 2015, as amended.
This responsibility also includes maintenance of adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisions of the Act forsafeguarding of the assets of the Company and for preventing and detecting frauds and other irregularities; selection andapplication of appropriate accounting policies; making judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and thedesign, implementation and maintenance of adequate internal financial controls, that were operating effectively for ensuringthe accuracy and completeness of the accounting records, relevant to the preparation and presentation of the standalone Ind ASfinancial statements that give a true and fair view and are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the standalone Ind AS financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Company's ability tocontinue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis ofaccounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Company or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternativebut to do so. Those Charged with Governance are also responsible for overseeing the Company's financial reporting process.
Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Standalone Ind AS Financial Statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the standalone Ind AS financial statements as a whole are freefrom material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion.Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with SAs willalways detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered materialif, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on thebasis of these standalone Ind AS financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughoutthe audit. We also:
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the standalone Ind AS financial statements, whether due to fraud orerror, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient andappropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher
than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or theoverride of internal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate inthe circumstances. Under section 143(3)(i) of the Act, we are also responsible for expressing our opinion on whether theCompany has adequate internal financial controls with reference to financial statements in place and the operating effectivenessof such controls.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and relateddisclosures made by management.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of management's use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the auditevidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on theCompany's ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to drawattention in our auditor's report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, tomodify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor's report. However,future events or conditions may cause the Company to cease to continue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the standalone Ind AS financial statements, including thedisclosures, and whether the standalone Ind AS financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in amanner that achieves fair presentation.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of theaudit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirementsregarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought tobear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.
From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of mostsignificance in the audit of the standalone Ind AS financial statements for the financial year ended March 31, 2024 and aretherefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor's report unless law or regulation precludes publicdisclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicatedin our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interestbenefits of such communication.
Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements
1. As required by the Companies (Auditor's Report) Order, 2020 ("the Order"), issued by the Central Government of India interms of sub-section (11) of section 143 of the Act, we give in the "Annexure 1" a statement on the matters specified inparagraphs 3 and 4 of the Order.
2. As required by Section 143(3) of the Act, we report that:
(a) We have sought and obtained all the information and explanations which to the best of our knowledge and belief werenecessary for the purposes of our audit;
(b) In our opinion, proper books of account as required by law have been kept by the Company so far as it appears from ourexamination of those books;
(c) The standalone balance Sheet, the standalone statement of Profit and Loss including the statement of other comprehensiveincome, the cash flow statement and statement of changes in equity dealt with by this Report are in agreement with the booksof accounts;
(d) In our opinion, the aforesaid standalone Ind AS financial statements comply with the Accounting Standards specified underSection 133 of the Act, read with Companies (Indian Accounting Standards) Rules, 2015, as amended;
(e) On the basis of Declaration received from the Directors at the beginning of the financial year and at the time of beingappointed as director of the Company, none of the directors of the Company for the year ending on March 31, 2024 have beendebarred or disqualified from being appointed or continuing as a director in terms of Section 164 (2) of the Act;
(f) With respect to the adequacy of the internal financial controls over financial reporting of the Company with reference tothese standalone Ind AS financial statements and the operating effectiveness of such controls, refer to our separate Report in"Annexure 2" to this report;
(g) In our opinion, the managerial remuneration for the previous year has not been paid / provided by the Company to itsdirectors in accordance with the provisions of section 197 read with Schedule V to the Act;
(h) With respect to the other matters to be included in the Auditor's Report in accordance with Rule 11 of the Companies (Auditand Auditors) Rules, 2014, as amended in our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanationsgiven to us:
i. The Company did not have any long-term contracts as at March 31, 2024 for which there were any material foreseeable losses.The Company did not have any long-term derivative contracts as at March 31, 2024;
ii. There has been no delay in transferring amounts, required to be transferred, to the Investor Education and Protection Fund bythe Company
iii. (a) The management has represented that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, as disclosed in the Note 37 to thestandalone financial statements, no funds have been advanced or loaned or invested (either from borrowed funds or sharepremium or any other sources or kind of funds) by the Company to or in any other persons or entities, including foreign entities("Intermediaries"), with the understanding, whether recorded in writing or otherwise, that the Intermediary shall:
• directly or indirectly lend or invest in other persons or entities identified in any manner whatsoever ("UltimateBeneficiaries") by or on behalf of the Company or
• provide any guarantee, security or the like to or on behalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries.
(b) The management has represented that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, as disclosed in the the Note 37 to thestandalone financial statements, no funds have been received by the Company from any persons or entities, including foreignentities ("Funding Parties"), with the understanding, whether recorded in writing or otherwise, that the Company shall
• directly or indirectly, lend or invest in other persons or entities identified in any manner whatsoever ("UltimateBeneficiaries") by or on behalf of the Funding Party or
• provide any guarantee, security or the like from or on behalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries.
(c) Based on such audit procedures as considered reasonable and appropriate in the circumstances, nothing has come to ournotice that has caused us to believe that the representations under sub-clause (iii) (a) and (iii) (b) contain any material mis¬statement
iv. The company has not declared any final or interim dividend during FY 2023-24 and have not violated any rules mentionedunder section 123 of Companies Act, 2013.
v. With respect to the matter to be included in the Auditor's Report under Section 197(16) of the Act:
In our opinion and according to the information and explanations given to us, the remuneration paid by the Company to itsdirectors during the current year is in accordance with the provisions of Section 197 of the Act.
The remuneration paid to any director is not in excess of the limit laid down under Section 197 of the Act. The Ministry ofCorporate Affairs has not prescribed other details under Section 197(16) of the Act which are required to be commented uponby us.
For Naik Mehta & Co.
Chartered AccountantsFRN:124529W
CA Alpa MehtaPartner
Membership No. 107896Place: MumbaiDate: 28/05/2024UDIN: 24107896B KCTS U4610