New Delhi: Nearly 2,200 entities failed to pay penalties imposed on them by markets regulator Sebi for various violations till last December. The defaulters include individuals as well as companies which failed to pay penalties levied on them by Sebi for various offences related to the securities market. Some of these cases are nearly two decades old.
Certain amounts due are as small as Rs 15,000, while the majority of individual penalties are worth a few lakhs of rupees, and others amount to a few crores of rupees. While some dues are pending since 2000, many cases are also in courts and at other forums. As of December 2017, the total number of ‘defaulters’ in payment of penalty imposed by the regulator stood at 2,183, according to latest data released by Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi).
It is also exercising its powers of attaching bank as well as demat accounts and other assets for the recovery of the dues. Securities Laws Act empowers Sebi to recover penalties imposed by the Adjudicating Officer, amount directed to be disgorged and money ordered to be refunded to the regulator. The recovery powers include attachment of bank as well as demat accounts and sale of assets of the defaulters.
