ANZ settles Oswal case
ANZ has reached a settlement with Pankaj and Radhika Oswal, following a dispute over the receivership and sale of their company Burrup Fertilisers in 2010. The bank did not disclose the terms but said the pre-tax impact of the settlement would be reflected in an additional provision charge of around A$145 million in its results.The Oswals had made a $2.5 billion claim, alleging that the bank sold their shares in the company for less than half of their value.They owed the bank close to $1 billion.ANZ chief executive Shayne Elliott said in a statement, "ANZ does not accept many of the claims made in court and we completely reject the allegations made against our staff."However, we believe the settlement is the right decision for shareholders, bearing in mind the residual risks in a case of this size and complexity."The Oswals will pay their own legal costs. They have also settled a dispute with the Australian Taxation Office over a tax bill estimated to be worth $100 million.