Rajesh Exports shares hit 5% lower circuit for third session on alleged Rs 15.15 lakh crore fraud

Shares of Rajesh Exports (REL) tumbled 5% to hit the lower circuit at Rs 94.50 on Monday, marking the third consecutive session of sharp losses after market regulator Sebi accused the company of orchestrating an elaborate financial fraud involving alleged revenue inflation of Rs 15.15 lakh crore over the years, personal gold trades purportedly passed off as corporate sales, and investments of Rs 1,035 crore in gold mines.

In its findings, Sebi alleged accounting irregularities, diversion of company funds into personal accounts, and a pattern of conduct aimed at misleading investors. The regulator also flagged lapses by the company’s auditors and said both Rajesh Exports and its auditors failed to fully cooperate with the investigation.

In its 109-page interim order dated June 3, Sebi said its investigation and forensic examination revealed prima facie evidence suggesting that nearly 97-99% of the company’s reported revenue may have been inflated. The regulator described the alleged discrepancies as “egregious and unheard of”.

Pending further directions, Sebi has barred Rajesh Mehta from buying, selling or otherwise dealing in securities of Rajesh Exports. The regulator has also directed the company to fully cooperate with investigators and ensure true and fair disclosure of its financial statements and related-party transactions.

“The acts of REL constitute a deliberate device, scheme and artifice to mislead and defraud investors dealing in the shares of REL by portraying an inflated and misleading picture of its operational scale, revenue and financial health,” Sebi said in its order.

The case stems from a shareholder complaint received in March 2024 that raised concerns over substantial trade receivables reflected in the company’s accounts. Following a preliminary review, Sebi initiated a detailed investigation covering the period from April 2020 to March 2024 and appointed BDO India Services as the forensic auditor.Besides restricting Rajesh Mehta from dealing in the company’s securities, Sebi has directed Rajesh Exports to furnish all pending information sought by investigators within 30 days. The regulator has also ordered the appointment of a new forensic auditor to conduct a more comprehensive review of the company’s books and transactions.Rajesh Exports has denied the allegations. In a press release issued on Thursday, the company said the revenues reported in its financial statements were accurate and contended that Sebi’s conclusions were based on a misunderstanding between revenue and EBITDA figures at Swiss refiner Valcambi SA, an indirect subsidiary of the company.

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