Over the last few years, we have increasingly been hearing about bad debts and the significant discrepancies between the financial health of some companies and that of the owners of these companies. In a world that is conscious about rising inequalities and in a country where over half a billion people struggle to have one square meal a day, a few hundred promoters and their companies, many of these politically well-connected, are doing their best to get away with the loot. Though there have been numerous news articles and saturation coverage of the stressed assets problem in financial newspapers and TV channels, there has not been a comprehensive account that gives the big picture putting together various aspects in this jigsaw puzzle. There is the whole list of banks and companies and the relationships between them, which needs closer study. This book explores the factors and players in what is essentially a major stumbling block in the progress of the Indian economy and in turn the nation itself. It aims to get to the bottom of this cesspool and put out the findings in a readable form. It will be of great general reader interest, and especially to those interested in business, economics, finance, governance, banking and politics.