In a high-stakes operation, India's market regulator SEBI has launched massive raids across Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Gurugram, exposing a jaw-dropping ₹300 crore stock market scam.
🚨 The Target: A Pump & Dump Racket Involving Shell Firms & Listed Agro-Tech Promoters
According to Moneycontrol, sources close to the probe revealed that this could be SEBI’s biggest monetary crackdown to date. The raids focused on 15–20 shell companies, allegedly floated by promoters of listed companies to manipulate their own stock prices.
Two listed agro-tech firms are reportedly at the center of this scheme — accused of orchestrating a market manipulation strategy that fooled thousands of retail investors.
🧾 What Did SEBI Seize?
During the raids, SEBI officials confiscated:
Key company documents
Rubber stamps
Confidential financial records
Initial estimates peg the scam at ₹300 crore, though that number could soar as deeper document analysis continues.
💣 What Is a 'Pump and Dump' Scam?
In this fraudulent method:
Scamsters artificially inflate a stock’s price by bulk buying through shell firms.
The hype attracts retail investors.
Scammers dump their holdings at high prices, leaving innocent investors with worthless stock as the price crashes back down.
One company’s stock reportedly jumped from ₹1 to ₹40 in under a year — only to plummet back to ₹2–₹3, with no real change in business fundamentals.
📲 Telegram Channels Under Scanner
SEBI is also probing whether unregistered Telegram groups were used to aggressively promote these manipulated stocks. These groups are believed to be part of a wider promoter network aimed at duping investors via social media.
⚠️ Why This Raid Is Unprecedented
SEBI usually sticks to issuing orders — but this time, it used its search and seizure powers, indicating the seriousness and scale of the fraud.
This marks a critical warning to investors about the rising cases of manipulation in small and mid-cap stocks.
👉 What Investors Should Learn
This case is a stark reminder: if a stock’s price skyrockets without real business growth, it’s a red flag. Always check fundamentals — and beware of Telegram “tips” promising easy gains.
.jpg)