SEBI says its ban against Chimming Trading continues  

March 29, 2010

Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has said that its ban against Chimming Trading Company Ltd (CTCL) continues till further notice. In an order, Dr KM Abraham, whole-time director, SEBI, said that the company's role or involvement in the alleged manipulation would be reviewed after the investigation in the matter is concluded.

Last year in June, SEBI, vide an ad interim ex-parte order barred CTCL from accessing the securities market and further prohibited it from buying, selling or dealing in the securities market, directly or indirectly, till further orders, as it was prima facie found to be involved in the alleged manipulation of shares of Cals Refineries Ltd, Confidence Petroleum India Ltd, Bang Overseas Ltd, Shree Precoated Steels Ltd (now known as Ajmera Realty & Infra India Ltd) and Temptation Foods Ltd.

The market regulator said that 'connected clients' were involved in these transactions. 'Connected clients' or fronts used by Ketan Parekh for his transactions (many of them linked to the sons of Shirish Maniar) often sold shares without having them in their possession. They subsequently obtained the shares in time for delivery through off-market transactions through other ‘connected entities’ within the circle of operators.

The 'connected clients' also indulged in trading in the aforesaid scrips amongst themselves, thereby creating market volumes. Further, some of the inter se trades of the ‘connected clients’ were found to be synchronised in nature.

They were also found to have transferred shares of the identified scrips amongst themselves and that in certain cases, the delivery obligations of one 'connected client' was fulfilled by the off-market borrowing of shares from another 'connected client'. The acts of the 'connected clients' were thus found to be prima facie the cause for the increased market traded volumes and that their volume contribution appears to have induced unwary investors into dealing in the shares of the aforesaid companies during the relevant period, SEBI had said. — Moneylife Digital Team