SEBI Approved Gitanjali Group’s IPO Despite Probe Against Choksi
India’s market regulator approved the initial public offering of a Gitanjali’s subsidiary despite an ongoing probe.
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India’s market regulator approved the initial public offering of a Gitanjali Gems Ltd’s subsidiary despite an ongoing probe into alleged trading violations by promoter Mehul Choksi, now named in the Rs 13,000-crore Punjab National Bank fraud.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India gave the final observation in June 2017, paving the way for the IPO of Nakshatra World Ltd within three months of the filing of the application, according to the regulator’s website.
The approval came even when the regulator had not closed a five-year-old probe against Choksi and others for fraudulent and unfair trade practices and violation of takeover code, details of which were disclosed in IPO prospectus. Eventually, the company didn’t launch the Rs 650-crore offer.
Gupta clarified that final observations per se don’t mean the IPO is cleared as SEBI does not explicitly approve or reject an IPO. It gives its observations which are updated weekly. And a final observation is the last step before the offer. “The merchant bankers have to respond to all points raised by SEBI before the offer opens.”
Choksi, and billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi and his firms are accused of allegedly obtaining loans on fraudulent guarantees issued through the Punjab National Bank’s system in connivance with some of the bank’s employees. Both have left India and the government has suspended their passports. It’s seeking help from overseas agencies in the probe even as Enforcement Directorate has frozen their assets.
The market regulator is normally cautious in approving IPOs, said Amit Tandon, co-founder and managing director at Institutional Investor Advisory Services. The National Stock Exchange and Vishwaraj Sugar Industries Ltd bear testimony to it.
SEBI didn’t issue the final observation to the NSE pending policy and regulatory issues stemming from a probe into its co-location services. The regulator also held back the approval to Vishwaraj Sugar Industries Ltd, keeping it in abeyance “for examination of past violations”.
The status on SEBI website for Nakshatra’s IPO stays as “final observations”. BloombergQuint’s emailed queries to SEBI on the issue remained unanswered.
Nakshatra World, formerly known as Gitanjali Brands, filed its application on 14 March 2017, and the regulator issued the final observation on 9 June 2017, SEBI disclosed on its website. The regulator updates the status on a weekly basis.
The book running lead managers for the issue were IDBI Capital Markets & Securities Ltd and Elara Capital (India) Private Ltd, while Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas was the Indian legal advisor and Ford, Rhodes, Parks & Co LLP, a Mumbai-based firm, was the statutory auditor.
Emailed queries to the merchant bankers, the law firm and the auditor seeking clarity on due diligence remained unanswered.
SEBI’s Probe
In 2012, SEBI alleged that Choksi and others violated at least four provisions under the SEBI Act, Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices relating to Securities Market Regulations of 2003, Takeover Regulations of 1997, and the Takeover Regulations of 2011, according to Nakshatra’s draft red herring prospectus.
Choksi also didn’t make a public announcement when he acquired a five percent stake in Gitanjali Gems. The takeover code mandates promoters to disclose if they acquire shares of their company from the open market.
Moreover, regulations restrict a promoter from buying more than five percent in a financial year. If the cap is breached, it becomes mandatory for the promoter to come out with an open offer to the minority shareholders.
SEBI issued a show-cause notice against Choksi and others on 26 October 2012. And though Choksi responded in July 2016, the regulator is yet to complete the investigation.
The Offer
Nakshatra, 99.99 percent owned by listed Gitanjali Gems, planned to raise close to Rs 650 crore by issuing 1.8 crore fresh shares, valuing the company at close to Rs 2,230 crore.
It planned to use Rs 300 crore from the proceeds to fund working capital requirement of the company and its subsidiaries like Nakshatra Brands and GILI India. The remaining amount was meant for general corporate purposes.
(This article was first published on BloombergQuint and has been republished with permission. )
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