Sebi bans 7 entities from market for unfair trade practices

The banned entities are Chandra Financial Services, Kundan Leasing & Finvest, Jay Investrade and Maruti Securities besides three individuals

Sebi today restrained seven entities, including three individuals, from the securities market for allegedly indulging in unfair trade practices in the shares of Temptation Foods, Bang Overseas, Cals Refineries and two other companies.

The banned entities are Chandra Financial Services, Kundan Leasing & Finvest, Jay Investrade and Maruti Securities besides three individuals -- Harsh Shirish Maniar, Jay Shirish Maniar and K Varadarajan, according to the Sebi order.

The market regulator found these entities were involved in circular trading of shares of five companies -- Temptation Foods, Bang Overseas, Confidence Petroleum India, Cals Refineries and Shree Precoated Steels (presently known as Ajmera Realty & Infra India).

Chandra, Kundan, Jay, Harsh Shirish Maniar, Jay Shirish Maniar and Maruti have been restrained from the securities market till June 3, 2013.

Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and quantum of trading done by them, Sebi said it would be appropriate to restrain them from "buying, selling and dealing in securities and accessing securities market for a period of four years from the date of interim order dated June 4, 2009".

Since Varadarajan was not covered in the interim order dated June 4, 2009, the market regulator has also restrained him from the securities market for three years. The same would be effective from the date of this order.

Sebi had found inter-linkages among certain entities dealing in these five scrips in the form of off-market transactions as well as synchronised deals.

All these transaction happened between August 2007 and February 2009.

Meanwhile, Sebi has discontinued the directions passed by it against HSM Financial Services and Shanti Financial Services related to these five scrips.

In the order, Sebi has also made references to market rigging by broker Ketan Parekh.