Sebi Notices To FPIs In Hindenburg Saga

FPIS in Adani firms did not maintain, disclose ownership info

- Pavan Burugula

The stock market regulator has issued show-cause notices to about a dozen foreign investors that owned big chunks of Adani group companies as it seeks to lift the veil on their true ownership, two people aware of the matter said. The notices charge the investors with failing to maintain and disclose information about their ultimate beneficiaries.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (Sebi) notices to the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) follow its investigations after US short-seller Hindenburg Research highlighted them in a damning report released in January. The report said several of these funds had the bulk of their investment portfolio concentrated in Adani group companies. Following the report, most of these funds either exited or reduced their stakes in Adani group companies. The Adani group has rejected the allegations in the Hindenburg report.

"The notices mostly pertain to beneficial ownership information of the funds, which was in question post-Hindenburg allegations, and the funds are in the process of responding to these notices," one of the two people cited above said on the condition of anonymity.