Sebi bans person from capital markets, imposes fine in NIIT Technologies insider trading case

The regulator has directed the person -- Arvind Mehrotra -- to disgorge loss avoided to the tune of Rs 1.03 lakh, along with interest, according to an order passed by Sebi. (Representative Image)

Sebi on Thursday barred one person from the capital markets for six months and imposed a penalty of Rs 12 lakh on him for indulging in insider trading in the shares of IT solutions company NIIT Technologies.

Apart from these, the regulator has directed the person -- Arvind Mehrotra -- to disgorge loss avoided to the tune of Rs 1.03 lakh, along with interest, according to an order passed by Sebi.

The markets watchdog, in its order, noted that Mehrotra, who was the business Head of Asia & Australia with the title as President- Infrastructure Management Services (IMS) of the company, had traded in the shares of the firm while in possession of the unpublished price sensitive information (UPSI) related to the dispute between the company's subsidiary and its client in the APAC region.

"Further, while in possession of the relevant UPSI, the Noticee no. 3 (Mehrotra) has traded and executed the sale of 2,500 shares of the Company on January 5, 2015 (1,000 shares) and February 24, 2015 (1,500 shares)," Sebi noted.

Also, Mehrotra applied for pre-clearance of trades in the scrip of the company claiming falsely that he was not in possession of UPSI even though he was in possession of UPSI. Further, he failed to disclose the details of selling 2,000 shares of NIIT for a sum of more than Rs 5 lakh in November 2014 to the company and the stock exchanges.

Through such acts, Mehrotra has violated the provisions of insider trading rules and the model code of conduct prescribed for the prevention of insider trading rules, the Sebi noted.