Care Ratings CEO sent on leave after Sebi receives anonymous complaint

Care Ratings Ltd has put its chief on leave pending a probe into an anonymous complaint received by the nation’s markets regulator, adding to the troubles for India’s credit assessment industry.

Care’s board placed Chief Executive Officer Rajesh Mokashi on leave, the company said in an exchange filing on Wednesday evening. Earlier this month, the local unit of Moody’s Investors Service sent its managing director on leave amid an inquiry into a controversial rating decision.

India’s credit rating companies have been facing criticism for missing warning signs at the IL&FS Group, whose surprise default last year led to a crippling liquidity crisis and soured the sentiment for the entire financial sector. The incident has since prompted the regulator Securities & Exchange Board of India to tighten rules for rating firms to restore investor faith in the system.

Care appointed Executive Director for Ratings T N Arun Kumar as interim chief executive officer. Kumar won’t be part of the rating operations to ensure the independence of the ratings process, according to the filing. The Mumbai-based company didn’t immediately reply to an email seeking comments on the probe.