Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

Counted as it is among the world’s fastest growing economies, an unfathomable amount of money flows in and out of the Indian economic system. But there are cracks in said system, and ever so often, a fraudulent mastermind uses them to slip some cash out for their advantage. From <keyword id="19964851" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ponzi" source="keywords">Ponzi</keyword> schemes to bank frauds, the Indian government and investors have fallen victim to many financial scandals — some of which were so sordid that they can be recounted like they happened yesterday. Here’s a rundown of the most infamous scams in Indian financial history: <h2><keyword id="20713434" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="harshad-mehta" source="keywords">Harshad Mehta</keyword> Scam (1992) – ₹4,000 Crore </h2>Perhaps the most iconic of all Indian financial scams, Harshad Mehta was known as the "Big Bull" of the stock market. He manipulated stock prices using illegal loopholes in the banking system. By obtaining unsecured loans from banks and investing them in the stock market, Mehta artificially inflated stock prices. His bubble burst when banks demanded their money back, revealing the massive fraud. This scandal led to a major reform in India's financial markets. Mehta died in jail before full legal accountability was reached, but the scam caused a significant loss to investors and led to tighter regulation in the Indian stock market. <h2><keyword id="23122396" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="satyam-scam" source="keywords">Satyam Scam</keyword> (2009) – ₹14,000 Crore </h2>Dubbed as India’s Enron, the Satyam scandal involved its founder, <keyword id="23122397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ramalinga-raju" source="keywords">Ramalinga Raju</keyword>, admitting to falsifying the company's accounts to the tune of ₹14,000 crore. Satyam Computer Services, once considered a blue-chip company, was found guilty of inflating profits and revenues. Raju admitted to the scam after a failed attempt to buy two Maytas firms owned by his family. This case brought corporate governance issues in India to the forefront. Raju was convicted, but the legal processes have allowed him temporary freedom through bail. But this incident called for improved transparency and stricter corporate governance norms. <h2>Punjab National Bank Scam (2018) – ₹13,700 Crore </h2>Diamond merchant Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi orchestrated one of the largest frauds in Indian banking history by obtaining fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) from Punjab National Bank (PNB). These LoUs allowed them to obtain loans from foreign branches of Indian banks without providing any collateral. The scam involved over ₹13,700 crore, and Modi fled the country, causing significant reputational damage to India’s banking sector. Nirav Modi’s extradition is still pending, and Mehul Choksi remains out of India’s legal jurisdiction. The scam, however, resulted in strengthened banking regulations regarding LoUs and SWIFT transactions. <h2><keyword id="23122399" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay-mallya-scam" source="keywords">Vijay Mallya Scam</keyword> (2016) – ₹9,000 Crore</h2>The "King of Good Times" was living large while his airline, Kingfisher, was drowning in debt. Vijay Mallya allegedly defaulted on loans amounting to ₹9,000 crore from various banks. He fled to the UK in 2016, leaving creditors, employees, and stakeholders in financial distress. His lavish lifestyle amidst the collapse of his airline made this scandal a high-profile case. Mallya’s extradition process is ongoing, but he remains out of reach of Indian authorities. The main impact was enhanced scrutiny of loan defaults and triggered legal reforms on extradition. <h2>Saradha Chit Fund Scam (2013) – ₹2,500 Crore </h2>The Saradha Group, operating a ponzi scheme disguised as a chit fund, promised unrealistically high returns to its investors, mostly in West Bengal and Odisha. The scam collapsed, leaving over 1.7 million people, many of whom were low-income investors, without their life savings. Politicians and celebrities were also implicated in the case. While Sudipta Sen is behind bars, not all the accomplices have been held accountable. But this Ponzi scheme resulted in reform of chit funds and greater regulatory oversight on such investment schemes. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112337071" title="Noida woman invests in stock market via an app, loses over Rs 69 lakh as it turns out to be a scam" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2><keyword id="6560832" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="2g-spectrum-scam" source="Orion">2G Spectrum Scam</keyword> (2008) – ₹1,76,000 Crore </h2>The 2G spectrum allocation scandal involved the underpricing of telecom licences to select companies in exchange for bribes. Telecom minister A. Raja was at the centre of this controversy, which allegedly caused a loss of ₹1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer. The case was seen as a massive blow to public trust in India’s telecom sector and led to significant political fallout. Sadly, all key figures involved were acquitted despite the Supreme Court’s intervention and cancellation of 122 telecom licences. <h2><keyword id="455134" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coal-allocation-scam" source="Orion">Coal Allocation Scam</keyword> (Coalgate) (2012) – ₹1,86,000 Crore </h2>The coal allocation scam, or "Coalgate," involved the illegal allocation of coal blocks to private companies between 2004 and 2009. The CAG of India estimated a loss of ₹1.86 lakh crore to the exchequer due to non-competitive bidding. Many high-profile politicians and industrialists were implicated, making this one of the largest political scandals in India. While some officials faced legal consequences, many key players were not prosecuted. But it did trigger policy reforms in the allocation of natural resources. <h2>DHFL Scam (2019) – ₹34,615 Crore </h2>Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL) was accused of syphoning off over ₹34,000 crore through a series of shell companies and fraudulent loans. Investigations revealed that the promoters used these funds for personal enrichment and illegal political donations. The case came to light after an investigation by investigative journalists and was later confirmed by a report from KPMG. The case is ongoing, and the main accused are in custody. For now, regulations governing non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) have been strengthened. <h2>Yes Bank Crisis (2020) – ₹3,788 Crore </h2>Yes Bank, under its founder <keyword id="19899935" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rana-kapoor" source="keywords">Rana Kapoor</keyword>, was involved in questionable lending practices. The bank made high-risk loans to companies already in financial trouble, which eventually turned into non-performing assets (NPAs). Kapoor was arrested, and the Reserve Bank of India had to step in to stabilise the bank. The case highlighted serious lapses in corporate governance and risk management. As of now, Rana Kapoor is facing trial, and legal proceedings are active. The RBI has also introduced new measures to monitor the health of banks more rigorously. <h2>Commonwealth Games Scam (2010) – ₹70,000 Crore </h2>The 2010 Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi were overshadowed by corruption allegations involving inflated contracts and kickbacks. <keyword id="23122398" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="suresh-kalmadi" source="keywords">Suresh Kalmadi</keyword>, the head of the organising committee, was arrested for awarding contracts at exorbitant rates. The estimated loss to the exchequer was around ₹70,000 crore. This scam tarnished India’s image on the global stage. Kalmadi was arrested but the case has not resulted in major convictions or recoveries, except for stricter oversight on large public projects and international event planning. These scams not only caused financial damage but also eroded public trust in India’s institutions. In response, India has tightened regulatory frameworks, improved corporate governance, and adopted stricter banking standards, although challenges persist in tackling large-scale fraud. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112896255" title="I was scammed out of $300K in a 3-month-long government impersonation scam" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

10 financial scams that shook India: A dive into deception

<ul><li>The State Bank of India overstated its profits by as much as ₹9,500 crore for three years in between 2012-13 to 2014-15, according<a href="https://www.moneylife.in/article/exclusive-rbi-inspection-reports-on-sbi-reveal-evergreening-window-dressing-cover-ups-and-worse/57631.html"> </a>an expose by Moneylife.</li><li>The revelations came out of a Right To Information (RTI) application.</li><li>The country’s largest bank has suppressed employee fraud, covered bad loans, flouted anti-money laundering rules, covered up bad loans by a mechanism referred to as ‘window dressing’.</li><li>In many cases, the bank has not enforced securities provided on a loan, and loans were disbursed even before a charge was created on the collateral.</li></ul> A fourth of the country’s bank deposits are making their way to State Bank of India (SBI). But, how safe is it there? According<a href="https://www.moneylife.in/article/exclusive-rbi-inspection-reports-on-sbi-reveal-evergreening-window-dressing-cover-ups-and-worse/57631.html"> to an expose by Moneylife</a>, the bank has overstated its profits by as much as ₹9,500 crore for three years in between 2012-13 to 2014-15. What makes it worse is that all this information is available with the banking regulator, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and the dated details came out after a petition was filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, by an activist Girish Mittal. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Year </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Overstated profit </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">2012-13 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">₹1,220 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">2013-14 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">₹5,038 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">2014-15 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9960975000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">₹3,252 crore </td></tr></tbody></table> Source: Money Life There were two chairpersons running the bank during the period-- Pratip Chaudhuri was the chairman from 2011 to 2013 as Arundhati Bhattacharya too charge to stay on till 2017. SBI’s box of troubles The annual inspection of banks’ accounts by RBI has opened a Pandora’s Box where many evils came out—where the country’s largest bank has suppressed employee fraud, covered bad loans, flouted anti-money laundering rules, covered up bad loans by a mechanism referred to as ‘window dressing’, according to the report. An e-mail sent to SBI seeking answers on the revelations, did not elicit any response. Most Indian banks were found guilty of trying to hide the rising problem of bad loans. They would either give fresh loans to pay old ones or book the losses in a different year to soften the blow on the company’s financials. In SBI’s case, the RTI response reportedly revealed that these factors were seen in the loans given out to diamond trading and power sector. Loans to diamond traders have brought down banks, especially Punjab National Bank scam where diamantaire Nirav Modi made away with unpaid loans of ₹2 billion and is now in the UK. Yet, SBI is not in as much trouble, not from RBI who is aware of the situation, not from its 435 million customers --- that’s over 30% of India’s population! Like Goldman Sachs, it is everywhere and, probably, too big to fail. Flouting Norms The report says that the bank also flouted norms laid down by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) itself with regards to Know Your Customer (KYC), lending limits set on sectors and individuals. The bank, as per the report, was also lax with its loans. In many cases, the bank has not enforced securities provided on a loan, wherein assets of defaulters are taken over. In some cases loans were disbursed even before a charge was created on the collateral. And, the suppression of data has happened at every level since most of the credit problems were never taken to the board as well. Scrubbing it clean In all, the bank performed a clean-up exercise every time a new chairman took over. The first year a new chairman comes in, huge amounts are written off the books, and has become a common practice with the bank. This leaves the chairman of the bank concentrating on ‘managing profits’. The owner of the bank however is the government. And it seems to be doing its part too. As non-performing assets as a result of bad loans increased and credit growth slowed down, the government is looking to recharge public sector banks (PSBs) with fresh funds. In the latest Budget 2019, the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that they would be giving out as much as ₹75,000 crore to re-capitalise government banks, so that they can kickoff growth in the country, with renewed interest. The mistakes of the past have been conveniently forgotten. SEE ALSO 
 <div type="NEWSINCONTEXT" target="false" refhostid="261" refmsid="69557477" refmstype="2" refmssubtype="0"><cdata><![CDATA[An Indian bank is still making the same mistake of hiding the worst and hoping for the best]]></cdata></div>


<h1 style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt;border-bottom:solid #eeeeee 0.75pt;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"> </h1>

India’s largest bank was caught lying about its profits for 3 years but no one got punished, according to an expose

In February 2018, it came to light that celebrity diamantaire <keyword id="571991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirav-Modi">Nirav Modi</keyword> and his uncle <keyword id="2763" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mehul-Choksi">Mehul Choksi</keyword> had defrauded Punjab National Bank (<keyword id="47268" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PNB">PNB</keyword>), India’s second-largest state-owned bank, of more than ₹130 billion ($2 billion). By using illegal letters of guarantee procured through PNB’s Brady House branch in Mumbai, the pair and their affiliates had taken loans from the overseas branches of a number of Indian banks since 2011 and had subsequently defaulted on them. In the ensuing months, the country’s top investigative agencies, such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), filed chargesheets against Modi and Choksi and also accused a number of senior officials at the concerned banks, including the former CEO of PNB, Usha Ananthasubramanian, of being complicit. Concurrently, PNB conducted its own investigation into the matter which concluded recently. The 162-page internal report, which has been reviewed by Reuters, revealed the extent to which the <keyword id="38935" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Fraud">fraud</keyword> touched most of the branch’s operations and found a lot more officials guilty of negligence and/or facilitating the transactions. Here are its main findings:- Over 1,200 credit guarantees were approved Gokulnath Shetty, the deputy general manager of the branch at Brady House, allegedly approved more than 1,200 letters of guarantee over the period in question - 2011 to 2017. He was reportedly supposed to be transferred to another branch but was kept at the branch on the insistence of senior officials. After joining the Brady House branch in 2010 as a foreign exchange officer, Shetty became responsible for authorising transactions over the SWIFT network. However, despite the fact that he was only allowed to approve transactions of ₹2.5 million or less, he did not log the transactions on the bank’s internal systems. This enabled him to authorise larger credit sums without detection. An audit of the bank’s SWIFT system was supposed to take place in 2016 As per instructions from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), PNB was supposed to undertake a review of its SWIFT financial communication systems in lieu of a possible upgrade. However, the audit did not take place. The bank’s systems were extremely outdated. The bank’s officials had failed to the integrate the bank’s SWIFT platform with its internal software for recording transactions. The fraud involved people at several levels in several branches While it's easy to pin the blame on the people at the helm of PNB, in reality, the fraud was facilitated by people at multiple levels of the bank - senior executives, deputy managers, assistant managers, inspection officers and even clerks. While it may have been orchestrated by a few people, a number of a monitoring and compliance lapses prevented the transactions from being identified sooner. And it extended to other branches as well. For example, the New Delhi office was responsible for the reconciliation and verification of international banking and foreign exchange transactions. Furthermore, a number of discrepancies were flagged in annual inspection reports and memos, but no one acted on them. Even a dubious 50% surge in transactions in the year ended March 2017 did not prompt an investigation. All in all, 54 people were named in the internal report. This likely includes <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/sectors/banks/pnb-fraud-bank-ceo-sunil-mehta-nirav-modi-suspended-21-officials-internal-probe-underway/story/274664.html">the 21 officers who were suspended</a> in April, pending the conclusion of the inquiry. At the time, PNB’s CEO Sunil Mehta alluded to the possibility that more people would be suspended. The internal report has been handed over to the police and relevant authorities as part of the evidence they’re building in the case against Nirav Modi. It will likely result in a lot more additions to the chargesheet. Meanwhile, Modi is still said to <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/nirav-modi-travelled-from-london-to-brussels-on-indian-passport-last-week/articleshow/64629762.cms">be travelling freely</a>. A lot of people will go down as a result of the case, but the big whale still proves elusive for the time being.

Here are the main findings from Punjab National Bank’s internal investigation into the $2 billion Nirav Modi scam

Nirav Modi was arrested a short while ago in London. 13 months ago, it came to light that celebrity diamantaire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi had defrauded <keyword id="62034" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Punjab-National-Bank">Punjab National Bank</keyword> (PNB), India’s second-largest state-owned bank, of more than <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/here-are-the-main-findings-from-punjab-national-banks-internal-investigation-into-the-2-billion-nirav-modi-scam/articleshow/64681851.cms">₹143 billion ($2.1 billion)</a>. By using illegal letters of guarantee procured through PNB’s Brady House branch in Mumbai, the pair and their affiliates had taken loans from the overseas branches of a number of Indian banks since 2011 and had subsequently defaulted on them. A warrant for Modi’s arrest was issued by a Westminister Court on March 18th. The warrant came a week after he was spotted on the streets of London with a full beard. Here is how the events leading up to his arrest unfolded. Early January 2018: Nirav Modi reportedly <a href="https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/nirav-modi-fled-india-on-jan-1/544819.html">leaves India</a>. January 29th, 2018: Punjab National Bank filed a complaint with the CBI alleging that Nirav Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and their associates had swindled the bank through transactions at its Brady House branch in Mumbai. February 15th, 2018: India’s Enforcement Directorate registers a money laundering case against Nirav Modi and his associates under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Early March 2018: The UK’s Serious Fraud Office <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/why-nirav-modi-wanted-in-india-is-roaming-the-streets-of-london-2006007">confirms</a> to India in early March that Nirav Modi is in London. April 5th, 2018: Regulators in Belgium <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pnb-fraud-case-belgium-freezes-two-nirav-modi-accounts-on-ed-request/article23440305.ece?utm_source=pushnotifications&amp;utm_campaign=pushnotifications)">freeze </a>the two bank accounts of Modi after a request from the ED to do so. April 8th, 2018: A court in Mumbai issues <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/non-bailable-warrant-issued-against-nirav-modi-mehul-choksi-in-pnb-scam-1834399">non-bailable arrest warrants</a> for Modi and Choksi at the CBI’s request. June 13th, 2018: The CBI approached Interpol to issue a red notice against Modi and Choksi. A red notice is a request to locate and arrest a criminal on the run, but not an international arrest warrant. June 29th, 2018: Interpol issues <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/nirav-modi-pnb-fraud-case-arrest-close-as-cbi-sends-extradition-plea-to-uk-5316602/">a red corner notice</a> against Modi, thereby enabling the cooperation of international police. August 20th 2018: The extradition process against Nirav Modi <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/billionaire-fugitive-nirav-modi-could-be-arrested-in-the-uk-as-soon-as-this-week/articleshow/65483882.cms">is initiated</a>. An application is lodged with the UK Home Office. However, the application is reportedly missing certain documents, which causes <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/waiting-for-uk-to-respond-to-extradition-request-says-india-after-nirav-modi-seen-in-london-2005117">proceedings</a> to be delayed. October 1st, 2018: The ED seizes around <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/assets-of-nirav-modi-worth-rs-637-crore-seized-by-ed-1353236-2018-10-01">₹6.4 billion </a>of Nirav Modi’s assets. This includes properties in India and abroad as well as jewelry and bank deposits. March 8th, 2019: The UK Home Office certified India’s extradition request, deeming Nirav Modi’s case “fit for extradition”. The case was then transferred to the District Court in Westminister, which had to issue the summons. March 9th, 2019: The Telegraph, a UK daily, <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/08/exclusive-indias-wanted-man-nirav-modi-accused-15bn-fraud/">broke the news </a>that Nirav Modi was living in London. The newspaper said it had tracked Modi down to his £8 million (₹726 million) flat in London’s West End. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/billionaire-fugitive-nirav-modi-could-be-arrested-in-the-uk-as-soon-as-this-week/articleshow/65483882.cms">Billionaire fugitive Nirav Modi could be arrested in the UK as soon as this week</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-presses-new-charges-against-diamond-merchant-nirav-modi-and-wife-ami-in-alleged-money-laundering-case/articleshow/68367950.cms">India presses new charges against diamond merchant Nirav Modi and wife Ami in alleged money laundering case</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/here-are-the-main-findings-from-punjab-national-banks-internal-investigation-into-the-2-billion-nirav-modi-scam/articleshow/64681851.cms">Here are the main findings from Punjab National Bank’s internal investigation into the $2 billion Nirav Modi scam</a>

Here’s how the 13-month chase for Nirav Modi came to an end

New Delhi, Feb 27 () Sebi on Thursday slapped a total fine of Rs 5 crore on fugitive Mehul Choksi, Gitanjali Gems and another individual for violating various regulations, including listing norms, in connection with a massive fraud on state-run lender PNB. Choksi, promoter and managing director of Gitanjali Gems, is the maternal uncle of Nirav Modi, who is also facing charges for defrauding state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) of over Rs 14,000 crore. Both Choksi and Modi fled India after the PNB scam came to light in early 2018. While Choksi is said to be in Antigua, Modi is lodged in a British jail and has challenged India's extradition request. In its order, Sebi said it is imposing a fine totalling Rs 5 crore on Choksi, Gitanjali Gems and Dhanesh Sheth, the executive director of Gitanjali. "... the default is grave and the gravity of this matter cannot be ignored," Sebi said. It quoted a communication from PNB that it had reported to the RBI total fraud of over Rs 11,394 crore in case of unauthorized issuance of LOUs, foreign letters of credit and inland letter of guarantees in the group accounts of Nirav Modi Group and Gitanjali Group and in the account of one Chandri Paper &amp; Allied Products Pvt Ltd. The overall fraud size is said to be even larger at over Rs 14,000 crore. "I am of the considered opinion that the deliberate defiance of the mandatory obligations and hiding the crucial and material information from investors, regulators and stock exchange, as found in this case should be dealt with sternly and the penalty in such cases should serve as effective deterrence," Sebi Adjudicating Officer Santosh Shukla said in a 28-page order. Sebi has penalised the entities for failing to make various requisite disclosures. Gitanjali has not made disclosures regarding withdrawal of credit limits by PNB in view of the alleged fraud by the firm and its subsidiaries, the sudden obligation to repay Rs 1,045.88 crore within 10 days and subsequent developments in the matter. The firm also failed to make disclosures on various litigations and actions by enforcement agencies against it, its managing director and other senior managerial personnel to the stock exchanges and also failed to reply on various clarifications sought by the exchanges till date, Sebi said. In addition, no disclosure was made on resignation of director, company secretary and chief finance officer to the stock exchanges. No disclosures with respect to delay in payment of interest and principal amount for a period of more than three months from the due date and default in payment of interest and principal to LIC on NCDs was made. Sebi noted that LIC has exposure to the firm under secured non-convertible debentures (NCDs) for Rs 125 crore. Gitanjali had issued post-dated cheques which were payable up to July 2019. However, the company stopped making repayments from October 2017. The firm has "prima facie" defaulted on debt obligations to LIC since October 2017, Sebi said. "Noticees actively and deliberately concealed the important information and did not disclose at all by the noticees, to the stock exchanges," it added. Highlighting Choksi's and Sheth's responsibility in making disclosures, Sebi said "instead of fulfilling their responsibilities, based on various media reports, it has been noted that the noticee no. 2 (Choksi) abdicated his responsibilities by leaving the country in the first week of January 2018, days before the alleged fraud came to light. Further, there is no information available with respect to the noticee no. 3 (Sheth)." "In this case, the Noticees have committed repeated and serious defaults by not disclosing subsequent material events / information with regard to material events as found hereinabove. The defaults by the Noticees are blameworthy and serious considering the degree of responsibility bestowed upon them by the statute," Sebi noted. Regarding Choksi and Sheth, Sebi said "the conduct of these directors is apparently mala fide." SRS BJ ABMABM

PNB fraud: Sebi imposes Rs 5-cr fine on Mehul Choksi, others

<ul><li>Skeletons keep tumbling out of the Punjab National Bank's closet and the stock is down nearly 10% on Monday.</li><li>One of India's marquee government banks, PNB, revealed that it had lost another half a billion dollars to a loan fraud, this time, at <keyword id="1943934" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhushan-Power-and-Steel">Bhushan Power and Steel</keyword>.</li><li>Bhushan Power and Steel is awaiting resolution at the National Company Law Tribunal.</li></ul>Skeletons keep tumbling out of the Punjab National Bank's (PNB) closet and the share price was down 10% on Monday (July 8). One of India's marquee government banks, PNB, revealed that it had lost another half a billion dollars to a loan fraud, this time, at Bhushan Power and Steel. Bhushan Power and Steel is awaiting resolution at the National Company Law Tribunal. PNB informed the stock exchanges on Saturday that it had written to RBI sharing its findings from a forensic report-- nearly ₹3,805.15 crore had been swindled away by the now-insolvent Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd (BPSL). The company has already set aside half of the amount from its profits to cover for the loss, if any, as per the prescribed prudential norms. However, the share price has lost nearly the entire amount in market capitalisation as investors rued the lack of adequate checks and balances. The company had "misappropriated funds and manipulated books of accounts to raise funds from consortium lender banks", PNB said. In February 2018, the ₹13,500-crore scam involving diamantaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi had come to light at the PNB. It is one of the first 12 accounts identified by the RBI for insolvency proceedings. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India's premier investigative agency, is already probing Bhushan Power and Steel for alleged lapses in governance. "At present, the case is in advance stage at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and the bank expects good recovery in the account," PNB said. With inputs from IANS SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/url-budget-2019-proposals-to-improve-market-liquidity-in-banks-nbfcs/articleshow/70090570.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Indian banks will now have more cash to lend for more reasons than one</a>

The stock of Punjab National Bank has lost half a billion dollars after a loan fraud of the same amount came to light

<ul><li>Total exposure of Indian banks in the alleged fraud is approximately Rs 20,000 crore</li><li><keyword id="6355975" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="axis-bank">Axis Bank</keyword> has an exposure of Rs 20-30 billion, <keyword id="6358005" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="allahabad-bank">Allahabad Bank</keyword> has Rs 40 billion and SBI, Rs 13 billion. </li><li>As a result of the scam, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to ban LoU-based transactions on March 13.</li></ul> <keyword id="62034" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Punjab-National-Bank">Punjab National Bank</keyword> (PNB) has five days to honour its guarantees to the <keyword id="63524" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Bank-of-India">Union Bank of India</keyword> to the tune of Rs 10 billion. If it fails to do so, Union Bank, in an unprecedented move, will have no option but to consider PNB a defaulter in its books and may even have to classify the unpaid amount as a non-performing asset (NPA) based on the recommendations of its auditors. Both banks are state-owned and if this default happens, it could shake the foundation of the banking sector leading to both the people and international banking institutions losing faith in the banking system. The only way this can be avoided is if the government or the RBI swoop in and bail PNB out. All this stems from the <keyword id="571991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirav-Modi">Nirav Modi</keyword> case which involves fraudulent letters of undertaking (<keyword id="368886" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lou">LoU</keyword>). And though this matter is being investigated by government agencies, Union Bank contests that there is no fraud in its books. Rajkiran Rai, MD of Union Bank told the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/banking/finance/banking/pnb-may-become-1st-bank-to-be-labelled-as-defaulter/articleshow/63459075.cms">Economic Times</a>, “For us, it is a genuine claim on PNB backed by documents. It is not a fraud in our books... We will take the auditor’s view. However, we don’t want to list PNB as a defaulter. We are expecting some intervention from either the government or RBI so that there is a resolution by March 31.” LoUs are essentially a tool used between Indian banks as guarantees under which customers of one bank can raise money from the other Indian bank's foreign branch in the form of a short-term credit arrangement, typically 90 days long. In the case of Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi scam, the total exposure of Indian banks in the alleged fraud is approximately Rs. 20, 000 crore--almost twice the initial estimate. According to <a href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/finance/in-5-days-pnb-may-be-first-bank-to-get-defaulter-tag-due-to-nirav-modi-118032600248_1.html" data-type="tilCustomLink">Business Standard</a>, apart for Union Bank of India, <a class="storyTags" href="http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&amp;q=axis+bank" target="_blank">Axis Bank </a>has an exposure of Rs 20-30 billion, <a class="storyTags" href="http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&amp;q=allahabad+bank" target="_blank">Allahabad Bank </a>has Rs 40 billion and SBI, Rs 13 billion. As a result of the scam, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to ban LoU-based transactions on March 13. However, this move has raised concerns with a bunch of bankers. Asked if the RBI decision is an overreach action by the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/policymakers-need-to-be-careful-sanyal-on-lou-ban/articleshow/63302747.cms">Economic Times</a>, the Finance Ministry's Principal Economic Advisor Sanjeev Sanyal said, "I am not in a position to comment on RBI decision they have just introduced… But, the general point remains that you have to take a nuanced view of these things in particular because you are not dealing with a silo system. You are dealing with an inter-connected ecosystem and if you block off oxygen in one part it rapidly spreads to rest of the system.”

PNB might become first bank to get 'defaulter' tag in 5 days

New Delhi, May 10 () At a time when the spread of COVID-19 has made social distancing a buzzword, banks have increased their reliance on social media to engage with their customers -- may it be for disseminating information or for dispelling their boredom. The government imposed a 21-day countrywide lockdown beginning March 25 to check the spread of coronavirus, and extended it twice, prompting business entities including banks to get innovative on social media. Among the noteworthy initiatives by banks during the lockdown, HDFC Bank came out with a scheme to help its customers find their hidden artistic talent. "Tired of staying home and having nothing to do? HDFC Bank Fingage presents The Art Project, to give you a #BreakFromBoredom! Unlock your creativity during the lockdown &amp; stand a chance to win exciting prizes!," tweeted the bank, trying to engage its customers during the lockdown. Punjab National Bank (PNB) has come up with a contest on the Mother's Day with a catchy slogan, "For her, you will always remain a child." Since the lockdown has made online banking more vulnerable to fraudsters, several banks are regularly warning their customers against possible frauds. "Beware of fraudsters who pose as bank officials and scam people by gaining remote access to their mobile phone screens through an app. Inform us when you identify a scamster through e-mail: epg.cms@sbi.co.in &amp; report.phishing@sbi.co.in," tweeted SBI. Similar warnings were issued by a few other lenders. "Fraudsters find new ways to target innocent people. And this time, they are targeting through banking and other payments apps to steal your hard-earned money. Be careful and keep following the #PNBKaFunda to learn the ways to avoid them," PNB tweeted. Another public sector major Canara Bank warned its customers in a tweet, "Don't get hooked by #Phishing! Always check before you click on any links. Be cautious about opening any attachments or downloading files received via email/sms , if source is unknown." A few banks have also come up with 'lockdown offers' for their customers. HDFC Bank offered discount on purchase of jewellery on Akshaya Tritya with a promise that part of the money would go to PM Cares Fund. "This Akshaya Tritya, buy jewellery from the safety of your home, with HDFC Bank Credit Cards! With every purchase above Rs.10,000, we will contribute Rs. 100 to the PM Cares Fund and you earn 5X Reward Points," HDFC Bank tweeted. Union Bank of India has offered discount on purchase of medicine. "In this difficult time, it's easy to save some cash on your pharmacy bill. Just use #UnionBankofIndia cards at your nearest Apollo Pharmacy Store to get up to 15% off," UBI said in a tweet. SBI gave a similar offer to its customers: "Get a health check from the comfort of your home with Apollo 24/7. Earn great discounts on key lab tests via YONO SBI app." Some banks are telling customers how they are tweaking services to suit the times. Union Bank of India informed its customers that for the time being there would be no charge on withdrawal of funds from ATMs of other banks. "To ease the lockdown burden, Debit card ATM withdrawals from any other bank ATMs will be free of charge till 30th June 2020," the bank said in a tweet. Banks are also making sure people in rural areas do not crowd the branches for direct benefit transfers. The country's largest lender SBI informed that the second installment of Rs 500 had been deposited in the accounts of female Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana account holders under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. It also provided a schedule for withdrawal of funds by them so that social distancing norms are not breached. NKD CS RVK

You Searched For "PNB fraud scam" and got 8 results

10 financial scams that shook India: A dive into deception

Ashmita Gupta

India’s largest bank was caught lying about its profits for 3 years but no one got punished, according to an expose

Katya Naidu

Here are the main findings from Punjab National Bank’s internal investigation into the $2 billion Nirav Modi scam

Dilsher Dhillon

Here’s how the 13-month chase for Nirav Modi came to an end

Dilsher Dhillon

PNB fraud: Sebi imposes Rs 5-cr fine on Mehul Choksi, others

PTI

The stock of Punjab National Bank has lost half a billion dollars after a loan fraud of the same amount came to light

Sriram Iyer

PNB might become first bank to get 'defaulter' tag in 5 days

Kavita Majumdar

Banks find new ways to amuse and inform during lockdown

PTI

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides