10 ways Brightcom pulled wool over investors’ eyes in preferential allotment of shares

The market regulator has found that the company not only committed accounting fraud but also fabricated bank account statements

‘);
$(‘#lastUpdated_’+articleId).text(resData[stkKey][‘lastupdate’]);

//if(resData[stkKey][‘percentchange’] > 0){
// $(‘#greentxt_’+articleId).removeClass(“redtxt”).addClass(“greentxt”);
// $(‘.arw_red’).removeClass(“arw_red”).addClass(“arw_green”);
//}else if(resData[stkKey][‘percentchange’] < 0){
// $(‘#greentxt_’+articleId).removeClass(“greentxt”).addClass(“redtxt”);
// $(‘.arw_green’).removeClass(“arw_green”).addClass(“arw_red”);
//}
if(resData[stkKey][‘percentchange’] >= 0){
$(‘#greentxt_’+articleId).removeClass(“redtxt”).addClass(“greentxt”);
//$(‘.arw_red’).removeClass(“arw_red”).addClass(“arw_green”);
$(‘#gainlosstxt_’+articleId).find(“.arw_red”).removeClass(“arw_red”).addClass(“arw_green”);
}else if(resData[stkKey][‘percentchange’] < 0){
$(‘#greentxt_’+articleId).removeClass(“greentxt”).addClass(“redtxt”);
//$(‘.arw_green’).removeClass(“arw_green”).addClass(“arw_red”);
$(‘#gainlosstxt_’+articleId).find(‘.arw_green’).removeClass(“arw_green”).addClass(“arw_red”);
}

$(‘#volumetxt_’+articleId).show();
$(‘#vlmtxt_’+articleId).show();
$(‘#stkvol_’+articleId).text(resData[stkKey][‘volume’]);
$(‘#td-low_’+articleId).text(resData[stkKey][‘daylow’]);
$(‘#td-high_’+articleId).text(resData[stkKey][‘dayhigh’]);
$(‘#rightcol_’+articleId).show();
}else{
$(‘#volumetxt_’+articleId).hide();
$(‘#vlmtxt_’+articleId).hide();
$(‘#stkvol_’+articleId).text(”);
$(‘#td-low_’+articleId).text(”);
$(‘#td-high_’+articleId).text(”);
$(‘#rightcol_’+articleId).hide();
}
$(‘#stk-graph_’+articleId).attr(‘src’,’//appfeeds.moneycontrol.com/jsonapi/stocks/graph&format=json&watch_app=true&range=1d&type=area&ex=’+stockType+’&sc_id=’+stockId+’&width=157&height=100&source=web’);
}
}
}
});
}

$(‘.bseliveselectbox’).click(function(){
$(‘.bselivelist’).show();
});

function bindClicksForDropdown(articleId){
$(‘ul#stockwidgettabs_’+articleId+’ li’).click(function(){
stkId = jQuery.trim($(this).find(‘a’).attr(‘stkid’));

$(‘ul#stockwidgettabs_’+articleId+’ li’).find(‘a’).removeClass(‘active’);
$(this).find(‘a’).addClass(‘active’);
stockWidget(‘N’,stkId,articleId);
});
$(‘#stk-b-‘+articleId).click(function(){
stkId = jQuery.trim($(this).attr(‘stkId’));
stockWidget(‘B’,stkId,articleId);
$(‘.bselivelist’).hide();
});
$(‘#stk-n-‘+articleId).click(function(){
stkId = jQuery.trim($(this).attr(‘stkId’));
stockWidget(‘N’,stkId,articleId);
$(‘.bselivelist’).hide();
});
}

$(“.bselivelist”).focusout(function(){
$(“.bselivelist”).hide(); //hide the results
});

function bindMenuClicks(articleId){

$(‘#watchlist-‘+articleId).click(function(){
var stkId = $(this).attr(‘stkId’);
overlayPopupWatchlist(0,2,1,stkId);
});
$(‘#portfolio-‘+articleId).click(function(){
var dispId = $(this).attr(‘dispId’);
pcSavePort(0,1,dispId);
});
}

$(‘.mc-modal-close’).on(‘click’,function(){
$(‘.mc-modal-wrap’).css(‘display’,’none’);
$(‘.mc-modal’).removeClass(‘success’);
$(‘.mc-modal’).removeClass(‘error’);
});
function overlayPopupWatchlist(e, t, n,stkId) {
$(‘.srch_bx’).css(‘z-index’,’999′);
typparam1 = n;
if(readCookie(‘nnmc’))
{
var lastRsrs =new Array();
lastRsrs[e]= stkId;
if(lastRsrs.length > 0)
{
var resStr=”;
let secglbVar = 1;
var url = ‘//www.moneycontrol.com/mccode/common/saveWatchlist.php’;
$.get( “//www.moneycontrol.com/mccode/common/rhsdata.html”, function( data ) {
$(‘#backInner1_rhsPop’).html(data);
$.ajax({url:url,
type:”POST”,
dataType:”json”,
data:{q_f:typparam1,wSec:secglbVar,wArray:lastRsrs},
success:function(d)
{
if(typparam1==’1′) // rhs
{
var appndStr=”;
//var newappndStr = makeMiddleRDivNew(d);
//appndStr = newappndStr[0];
var titStr=”;var editw=”;
var typevar=”;
var pparr= new Array(‘Monitoring your investments regularly is important.’,’Add your transaction details to monitor your stock`s performance.’,’You can also track your Transaction History and Capital Gains.’);
var phead =’Why add to Portfolio?’;
if(secglbVar ==1)
{
var stkdtxt=’this stock’;
var fltxt=’ it ‘;
typevar =’Stock ‘;
if(lastRsrs.length>1){
stkdtxt=’these stocks’;
typevar =’Stocks ‘;fltxt=’ them ‘;
}

}

//var popretStr =lvPOPRHS(phead,pparr);
//$(‘#poprhsAdd’).html(popretStr);
//$(‘.btmbgnwr’).show();
var tickTxt =’‘;
if(typparam1==1)
{
var modalContent = ‘Watchlist has been updated successfully.’;
var modalStatus = ‘success’; //if error, use ‘error’

$(‘.mc-modal-content’).text(modalContent);
$(‘.mc-modal-wrap’).css(‘display’,’flex’);
$(‘.mc-modal’).addClass(modalStatus);

//var existsFlag=$.inArray(‘added’,newappndStr[1]);
//$(‘#toptitleTXT’).html(tickTxt+typevar+’ to your watchlist’);
//if(existsFlag == -1)
//{
// if(lastRsrs.length > 1)
// $(‘#toptitleTXT’).html(tickTxt+typevar+’already exist in your watchlist’);
// else
// $(‘#toptitleTXT’).html(tickTxt+typevar+’already exists in your watchlist’);
//
//}
}

//$(‘.accdiv’).html(”);
//$(‘.accdiv’).html(appndStr);
}
},
//complete:function(d){
// if(typparam1==1)
// {
// watchlist_popup(‘open’);
// }
//}
});
});
}
else
{
var disNam =’stock’;
if($(‘#impact_option’).html()==’STOCKS’)
disNam =’stock’;
if($(‘#impact_option’).html()==’MUTUAL FUNDS’)
disNam =’mutual fund’;
if($(‘#impact_option’).html()==’COMMODITIES’)
disNam =’commodity’;

alert(‘Please select at least one ‘+disNam);
}
}
else
{
AFTERLOGINCALLBACK = ‘overlayPopup(‘+e+’, ‘+t+’, ‘+n+’)’;
commonPopRHS();
/*work_div = 1;
typparam = t;
typparam1 = n;
check_login_pop(1)*/
}
}

function pcSavePort(param,call_pg,dispId)
{
var adtxt=”;
if(readCookie(‘nnmc’)){
if(call_pg == “2”)
{
pass_sec = 2;
}
else
{
pass_sec = 1;
}
var postfolio_url = ‘https://www.moneycontrol.com/portfolio_new/add_stocks_multi.php?id=’+dispId;
window.open(postfolio_url, ‘_blank’);
} else
{
AFTERLOGINCALLBACK = ‘pcSavePort(‘+param+’, ‘+call_pg+’, ‘+dispId+’)’;
commonPopRHS();
/*work_div = 1;
typparam = t;
typparam1 = n;
check_login_pop(1)*/
}

}

function commonPopRHS(e) {
/*var t = ($(window).height() – $(“#” + e).height()) / 2 + $(window).scrollTop();
var n = ($(window).width() – $(“#” + e).width()) / 2 + $(window).scrollLeft();
$(“#” + e).css({
position: “absolute”,
top: t,
left: n
});
$(“#lightbox_cb,#” + e).fadeIn(300);
$(“#lightbox_cb”).remove();
$(“body”).append(”);
$(“#lightbox_cb”).css({
filter: “alpha(opacity=80)”
}).fadeIn()*/

$(“.linkSignUp”).click();
}

function overlay(n)
{
document.getElementById(‘back’).style.width = document.body.clientWidth + “px”;
document.getElementById(‘back’).style.height = document.body.clientHeight +”px”;
document.getElementById(‘back’).style.display = ‘block’;
jQuery.fn.center = function () {
this.css(“position”,”absolute”);
var topPos = ($(window).height() – this.height() ) / 2;
this.css(“top”, -topPos).show().animate({‘top’:topPos},300);
this.css(“left”, ( $(window).width() – this.width() ) / 2);
return this;
}
setTimeout(function(){$(‘#backInner’+n).center()},100);

}
function closeoverlay(n){
document.getElementById(‘back’).style.display = ‘none’;
document.getElementById(‘backInner’+n).style.display = ‘none’;
}
stk_str=”;
stk.forEach(function (stkData,index){
if(index==0){
stk_str+=stkData.stockId.trim();
}else{
stk_str+=’,’+stkData.stockId.trim();
}
});

$.get(‘//www.moneycontrol.com/techmvc/mc_apis/stock_details/?classic=true&sc_id=’+stk_str, function(data) {
stk.forEach(function (stkData,index){
$(‘#stock-name-‘+stkData.stockId.trim()+’-‘+article_id).text(data[stkData.stockId.trim()][‘nse’][‘shortname’]);
});
});

function redirectToTradeOpenDematAccountOnline(){
if (stock_isinid && stock_tradeType) {
window.open(`https://www.moneycontrol.com/open-demat-account-online?classic=true&script_id=${stock_isinid}&ex=${stock_tradeType}&site=web&asset_class=stock&utm_source=moneycontrol&utm_medium=articlepage&utm_campaign=tradenow&utm_content=webbutton`, ‘_blank’);
}
}

Perhaps for the first time, the market regulator Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has gone after the same entity twice. The entity here is Brightcom Group (BGL).

“This has been done… considering the scale and gravity of manipulation,” SEBI said in an order dated August 22.

The regulator’s exasperation comes from the fact that the company has not only committed accounting fraud but a separate investigation revealed that it also fabricated bank account statements pertaining to its preferential allotment of shares.

In its latest order, SEBI breaks down how BGL raised money through a preferential issue from entities that were directly or indirectly connected to it. Here’s how it went:

1) During FY21 and FY22, BGL issued warrants/shares on a preferential basis four times and raised Rs 867.78 crore from a total of 82 allottees.

2) For 22 entities who were allotted 25.76 crore equity shares for Rs 245.24 crore, the company received only Rs 52.51 crore. The remaining amount of Rs 192.73 crore was either not received by the company or routed back to the same entities through multiple layering of transactions involving subsidiaries and conduits.

3) Among these 22 entities, which were non-promoter entities, four were subsequently categorised as promoter entities. These were Aradhana Commosales LLP, Sarita Commosales LLP, Kalpana Commosales LLP and Shalini Sales LLP.

4) In March 2022, the company’s promoter and CMD Suresh Kumar Reddy was inducted as a partner in these four LLPs. Consequently, these four LLPs were re-classified as promoter and promoter group entities.

5) These LLPs were allotted 14.50 crore shares, approximately 30 percent of the total shares allotted on a preferential basis during FY21 and FY22. Of the total consideration of Rs 111.65 crore, the company received only Rs 1.41 crore.

6) SEBI sought receipts from BGL for all transactions with these LLPs and independently asked the banks, too. It found several mismatches.

For instance, receipts submitted by the company indicated that it received Rs 38.50 crore from Sarita Commosales. However, the bank account statements showed that the company had received only Rs 4.10 crore from Sarita.

7) Further, the SEBI’s investigation prima facie revealed that Sarita received a total of Rs 4.07 crore from BGL itself, which reached Sarita through circuitous transactions involving BGL’s subsidiaries. The same was done in the case of Kalpana Commosales, too.

8) Despite being re-classified as promoter entities, the lock-in period for shares held by these four LLPs was vacated before the expiry of three years. As per regulations, the shares allotted on a preferential basis to the promoters or promoter group entities are subject to a three-year lock-in period and those allotted to others are subject to a one-year lock-in period.

9) SEBI says that it prima facie appears Suresh Kumar Reddy devised a scheme to bypass the three-year lock-in prescribed under the ICDR Regulations.

Through the above method, the shareholding of the promoter group increased from 4.12 percent as of December 31, 2021, to 18.47 percent as of March 31, 2022.

10) Similarly, SEBI has unravelled several more circuitous transactions with other allottees named Varun Damani, Kishan Prakash and Ponna Bhuvaneswari, among others.

In the case of preferential allotment to ace investor Shankar Sharma, Brightcom Group claimed that it has received total consideration of Rs 56.65 crore, of which bank statements show only Rs 39.98 crore, including Rs 14.19 crore which could not be verified.

Also Read: Sebi’s Brightcom crackdown: Shankar Sharma says details submitted, hope for early closure

Following this, SEBI has barred Sharma and 22 other entities from selling Brightcom Group’s shares.

The market regulator has also stopped the company’s CMD Suresh Kumar Reddy and its CFO Narayan Raju from holding the position of a director or a Key Managerial Personnel in any listed company or its subsidiaries until further orders.

Meanwhile, Brightcom informed exchanges on August 23 that it has set up an internal team to review details and the implications of the SEBI order. “We will ensure responses are in the company’s and shareholders’ best interests,” it said.