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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.<br /><br />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:<br /><h2><keyword id="20713434" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="harshad-mehta" source="keywords">Harshad Mehta</keyword> Scam (1992) – ₹4,000 Crore<br /></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.<br /><br />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.<br /><h2><keyword id="23122396" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="satyam-scam" source="keywords">Satyam Scam</keyword> (2009) – ₹14,000 Crore<br /></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.<br /><br />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.<br /><h2>Punjab National Bank Scam (2018) – ₹13,700 Crore<br /></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.<br /><br />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.<br /><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.<br /><br />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.<br /><h2>Saradha Chit Fund Scam (2013) – ₹2,500 Crore<br /></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.<br /><br />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.<br />  <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><br /><h2><keyword id="6560832" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="2g-spectrum-scam" source="Orion">2G Spectrum Scam</keyword> (2008) – ₹1,76,000 Crore<br /></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.<br /><br />Sadly, all key figures involved were acquitted despite the Supreme Court’s intervention and cancellation of 122 telecom licences.<br /><br /><h2><keyword id="455134" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coal-allocation-scam" source="Orion">Coal Allocation Scam</keyword> (Coalgate) (2012) – ₹1,86,000 Crore<br /></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.<br /><br />While some officials faced legal consequences, many key players were not prosecuted. But it did trigger policy reforms in the allocation of natural resources.<br /><br /><h2>DHFL Scam (2019) – ₹34,615 Crore<br /></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.<br /><br />The case is ongoing, and the main accused are in custody. For now, regulations governing non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) have been strengthened.<br /><br /><h2>Yes Bank Crisis (2020) – ₹3,788 Crore<br /></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.<br /><br />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.<br /><h2>Commonwealth Games Scam (2010) – ₹70,000 Crore<br /></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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br />  <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><br />

10 financial scams that shook India: A dive into deception

<strong><br /></strong><ul><li><strong><keyword id="33278" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Bajaj">Rahul Bajaj</keyword> said Indian businesses are worried about repercussions if they criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Former Prime Minister <keyword id="6359397" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="manmohan-singh">Manmohan Singh</keyword> also said there’s a climate of fear and mistrust among various economic participants including industrialists, bankers and policymakers.<br /></strong></li><li><strong>Vodafone Chief Executive Nick Read landed himself with two lawsuits after he hinted at possible collapse in India operation. <br /></strong></li></ul>Industrialist and Bajaj Group chairperson Rahul Bajaj is making waves for his remarks on the Modi government. The 81-year old said Indian businesses are worried about repercussions if they criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration. <br /><br />“None of our industrial friends will speak about it, but I’ll say that openly, You’re (Narendra Modi led government) doing a good job, but despite that, we’re not confident you’ll appreciate if we openly criticise you,” said Bajaj. <br /><br />Bajaj alleged that government is creating an environment of fear where people are not allowed to question it <br /><br />The comment comes at a time when the health of India’s economic growth is worse than expected. Its GDP for the second quarter fell to 4.5%. Moreso, unemployment is rising, and the banking sector is in crisis mode. Bajaj earlier too said that times are difficult time for auto sector without neither demand nor investment. In November 2019, his <keyword id="6359783" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="bajaj-auto">Bajaj Auto</keyword> saw a 12% decline in sales,<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=bajaj+auto+november+2019+sales&amp;rlz=1C1GCEU_enIN864IN864&amp;oq=Bajaj+Auto+november&amp;aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l4.4855j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8"> according to ET Auto. </a><br /><br />Bajaj is among the handful of people who spoke against the government publicly. <br /><br />Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/45-gdp-growth-rate-unacceptable-worrisome-manmohan-singh/article30117648.ece">too said there’s a climate of fear and mistrust among various economic participants</a> — industrialists, bankers and policymakers. <br /><br /><strong>Here are a few others who dared to bell the cat<br /></strong><br /><strong>Vodafone Chief Executive Nick Read landed himself with two lawsuits </strong><br /><br />
  
  
  
  
  
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<br />Vodafone chief executive Nick Read landed himself with two lawsuits. In November 2019, Vodafone CEO hinted to reporters in London about a possible collapse of its Indian operation if the government does not give relief to the massive deferred spectrum dues amounting<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/vodafone-idea-posts-a-historic-50000-crore-loss-over-agr-dues/articleshow/72064458.cms"> to ₹44,150 crore. </a>As soon as the press conference was over, two lawsuits were filed against him, <a href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3038987/tax-terrorism-indias-slowing-economy-takes-deadly-turn-modis">reported South China Morning Post</a>. <br /><br />Union Telecom and Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is known to have “expressed disapproval and displeasure over the tone and tenor” of the comments to <keyword id="6354955" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kumar-Mangalam-Birla">Kumar Mangalam Birla</keyword>, Vodafone’s JV partner. <br /><br />A day later, Read<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/government-unhappy-over-vodafones-biz-uncertainty-remarks-ceo-says-media-distorted-statement/articleshow/72045518.cms?from=mdr"> apologised</a> to the Indian government and blamed the media coverage for distorting his remarks. He further asserted that Vodafone will “<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/government-unhappy-over-vodafones-biz-uncertainty-remarks-ceo-says-media-distorted-statement/articleshow/72045518.cms?from=mdr">remain invested” in India.</a><br /><br /><br /><strong>Kumar Mangalam Birla criticised the UPA government<br />
  
  
  
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</strong><br />Not just the Modi government, even the UPA was merciless when it came to dealing with dissenters.<br /><br />In 2012, Kumar Mangalam Birla the billionaire promoter of the $48.3 billion Aditya Birla Group, famously gave <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/policy-paralysis-has-shaken-investors-confidence-birla-112081800054_1.html">currency to the phrase </a>'policy paralysis' which went on to describe the second five-year term of the Manmohan Singh government.<br /><br />What he didn't know was that soon after the sleuths at CBI would chase him after a surprise raid at a Hindalco office found Rs 5 crore unaccounted cash in its premises. This money got linked to the infamous coal allocation scam. While the firm lost its coal mine <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/naazneenkarmali/2013/10/15/billionaire-kumar-birla-dragged-into-indias-coalgate-scandal/#5d145b0e180a">Talbira II in Odisha</a>, Birla himself has since been acquitted in the case of the cash in one of his offices.<br /><br /><strong>HDFC chairman <keyword id="6448020" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Deepak-Parekh">Deepak Parekh</keyword> said there's no ease of doing business in India </strong><br />
  
  
  
  
  
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<br />A year after Modi’s landslide win in 2014,<a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/pm-had-9-lucky-months-impatience-creeping-in-now-deepak-parekh/story-GYM46n0eEOFUmEA44EXwMJ.html"> Parekh said Prime Minister had a lucky period in these nine months. </a> “The world commodity prices are at all-time low which help India the most. I don’t see ease of doing business changing so far,” <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/pm-had-9-lucky-months-impatience-creeping-in-now-deepak-parekh/story-GYM46n0eEOFUmEA44EXwMJ.html">he had said</a>.  But he had to eat his words, and <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/opinion/perspective/narendra-modi-govt-nine-months-deepak-parekh/story/220994.html">do a complete U-turn within five months</a>. What transpired behind the scenes is anybody's guess.<br /><br /><strong>India has lost confidence of the world: Ratan Tata</strong><br />
  
  
  
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<br />In 2016, Ratan Tata the chairman emeritus of the <keyword id="6355725" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-group">Tata Group</keyword> said <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/india-has-lost-confidence-of-the-world-ratan-tata/article5068063.ece">India has lost the confidence of the world </a>and the government has been slow to recognise it. <br /><br />He said the government has “swayed” under the influence of vested interests in the private sector and policies have been “changed, delayed and manipulated”. Tata, who demitted office as Tata group chairman last December, said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has held India’s “esteem high but in recent times we have lost it”. <br /><br />Ironically, this was the same year when BJP MP Subramanian Swamy <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/ratan-tata-most-corrupt-chairman-in-history-of-tata-group-says-subramanian-swamy/story/239254.html">filed a complaint against Tata, lobbyist Niira Radia, former Telecom Minister A. Raja and senior Unitech officials for</a> allegedly laundering money to Unitech companies to obtain 2G spectrum licence.<br /><br /><br /> <strong>Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, an iconic entrepreneur in the pharmaceuticals space, was asked to shut up by a government official<br /></strong><br />
	
  
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<br />After the unfortunate <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/Narendra-Modi-has-a-new-problem-big-corporates-and-moneybags-are-angry/articleshow/70450878.cms">death</a> of VG Siddhartha of Cafe Coffee Day, his billionaire friends from Bengaluru chimed in his support blaming aggressive tax officials for the demise of the coffee baron. However, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, an iconic entrepreneur in the pharmaceuticals space, was asked to shut up by a government official. Shaw revealed <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/Narendra-Modi-has-a-new-problem-big-corporates-and-moneybags-are-angry/articleshow/70450878.cms">to the Telegraph. </a><br /><br />See also<br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/Narendra-Modi-has-a-new-problem-big-corporates-and-moneybags-are-angry/articleshow/70450878.cms">Narendra Modi has a new problem – big corporates and moneybags are angry</a><br /><br />

From Deepak Parekh to Vodafone CEO Nick Read —  5 times corporates criticised Indian government and ran into trouble

After the multi-million dollar coal allocation scam, often referred as‘<keyword id="981763" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Coalgate">Coalgate</keyword>’ by the media, <keyword id="6354512" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Infosys">Infosys</keyword> founder N R <keyword id="6355623" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narayana-Murthy">Narayana Murthy</keyword> has requested the BJP government to draft a mechanism under which honest politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen can do their work without fear. <br /><br /> On Monday, Murthy told TOI that “All three have to be protected and in particular bureaucrats because they have to take decisions every day and if we create a fear psychosis there is no way our <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> can progress." <br /><br />

	He further stated, "It is very important that this government, which has done a lot of good things, takes this up on an urgent basis."
<br /><br /> Recently, a special court had summoned former prime minister <keyword id="6359397" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manmohan-Singh">Manmohan Singh</keyword> along with renowned industrialist <keyword id="6354955" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kumar-mangalam-birla">Kumar Mangalam Birla</keyword>, ex-coal secretary P C Parakh along with three others as accused in a case pertaining to allocation of Talabira-II coal block in Odisha in 2005 and asked them to appear before it on April 8, reported PTI. <br /><br /> This summon has also shaken <keyword id="46431" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India-Inc">India Inc</keyword> at a time when the central government is trying its best to revive sentiment and boost the economic growth, the Economic Times report stated. <br /><br />

	Murthy, who is also shocked with the latest development, told TOI, "I have known Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla for a long time. He is a good man. He is a decent man. He is very much a progressive modern business leader of this country. It is very important that as we move forward, we ensure that people like him, and there are many others among bureaucrats, among politicians and amongst business people, that we do not get their names maligned unless they are guilty.”
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	And for this, "a mechanism that enhances transparency of such interactions is very important,” he added.
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	Praising the initiative that the government took for the auction of coal blocks and telecom spectrum, Murthy stressed upon the need to provide transparency, clarity and speed in every decision for allocation of all public resources.

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Narayana Murthy wants the government to protect honest bureaucrats and politicians. Know why!

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10 financial scams that shook India: A dive into deception

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From Deepak Parekh to Vodafone CEO Nick Read — 5 times corporates criticised Indian government and ran into trouble

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Narayana Murthy wants the government to protect honest bureaucrats and politicians. Know why!

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