India markets regulator bars 135 entities over stock manipulation

BENGALURU (Reuters) -India's markets regulator on Wednesday issued an interim restraining order on 135 entities accessing the securities market and fined them about 1.26 billion rupees ($15.36 million for making wrongful gains from alleged stock manipulation of small-cap companies through bulk messages.

In its investigation, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) found a set of entities manipulating shares of five listed companies - Mauria Udyog , 7NR Retail , Darjeeling Ropeway Co, GBL Industries and Vishal Fabrics .

The entities first pushed up stock prices by trading among themselves and followed it up by sending "buy" recommendations to the public through bulk messages via texts and websites, the regulator said.

As the stocks rose, the entities booked substantial gains which were transferred back through a web of entities, the SEBI added.

The regulator also issued a caution for the wider public.

"General public is cautioned to be aware of such fraudulent activities being carried out through SMS messages, various websites, social media like Telegram, Instagram, YouTube and are further advised to deal only with SEBI registered intermediaries," it said.

SEBI has already been cracking the whip on false stock recommendations through social media platforms, and had, in April, barred six individuals from the securities market for one to three years for passing false tips on Telegram.

The regulator also plans to strengthen its norms to prevent suspicious trading activities, typically associated with front running, insider trading and share price manipulation.

($1 = 82.0154 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Ira Dugal in Mumbai and Sethuraman NR in Bengaluru; Editing by Sohini Goswami)