Why has SEBI not yet got to bottom of Mauritius funds holding and trading Adani stock: Rajan
New Delhi, Mar 5: Former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has asked why SEBI has not yet got to the bottom of ownership of the four Mauritius-based funds who are said to have parked 90 per cent of their USD 6.9 billion in Adani group stocks, saying does the market regulator need help of investigating agencies for this?
The funds -- Elara India Opportunities Fund, Cresta Fund, Albula Investment Fund and APMS Investment Fund -- have been under cloud for last couple of years after allegations that they may be shell companies. They came into focus once again in January when a US short seller alleged that Adani Group used offshore shell companies to inflate stock price. Adani Group has repeatedly denied all allegations.
"The issue is of reducing non-transparent links between government and business, and of letting, indeed encouraging, regulators do their job. Why has SEBI not yet got to the bottom of the ownership of those Mauritius funds which have been holding and trading Adani stock? Does it need help from the investigative agencies?," Rajan asked.
Because funds are registered in tax haven Mauritius, their ownership structure is opaque.
Cresta, Albula and Elara have been subject to at least one probe for alleged round-tripping.
Hindenburg Research in a January 24 report accused Adani group of "brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud" and using a number of offshore shell companies to inflate stock prices. The group has denied all allegations, calling them "malicious", "baseless" and a "calculated attack on India".
About what measures the government should take to improve oversight of private family companies to address worries after the Hindenburg allegations, the former RBI governor said he does not think the issue is of more oversight over private companies.
The private businesses and family companies should be encouraged but there should be a level playing field for everyone, where no single promoter becomes all powerful, he said in an email interview to PTI.
"It does not serve the country well when certain families are seen as having privileged access to policymakers. Let businesses flourish based on their acumen, not on their connections," said Rajan, who is currently the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) to probe within two months allegations of stock price manipulation by the Adani group and any lapses in regulatory disclosures, and also set up a six-member committee headed by former apex court judge Justice A M Sapre to look into the protection of Indian investors.
Last month SEBI had told the Supreme Court that it was investigating Hindenburg allegations. The apex court has asked SEBI to complete the investigation within 2 months.
Adani group has in the past stated that it has "been fully compliant with applicable SEBI regulations" and "have made full disclosure to SEBI on specific information requests from them in the past".
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
