According to an official statement from the RBI on Friday, it has imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh on Godrej Housing Finance Limited, Rs 5 lakh on Aadhar Housing Finance Limited, and Rs 3.5 lakh on Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO).

The regulator has enforced these penalties under the powers granted to the RBI through Section 52A of the National Housing Bank Act, 1987. The statutory inspection of these companies was conducted by the National Housing Bank (NHB) based on their financial positions as of March 31, 2022.

The RBI, in its statement, mentioned that based on supervisory findings indicating non-compliance with its directives and following related communications, the companies were issued notices. These notices required the companies to explain why penalties should not be imposed on them for failing to adhere to RBI guidelines.

After considering the responses from the companies, oral submissions during personal hearings, and additional documentation provided, the RBI concluded that Godrej Housing Finance Limited did not obtain two independent valuation reports before approving certain loans of Rs 75 lakh and above.

In the case of Aadhar Housing Finance Limited, the RBI noted that the company charged interest on loans for a period before the actual disbursement or issuance of the check to some borrowers, violating RBI directives under the ‘Fair Practices Code.’

As for Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO), the penalty was imposed for the company’s failure to conduct risk categorization of its customers during the 2021-22 financial year.

Additionally, HUDCO did not implement a system for periodic reviews of risk categorization, failed to create a floating charge on the assets it invested in favor of its depositors in line with Section 29B of the NHB Act, and did not register this with the Registrar of Companies. (ANI)

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The individuals involved in the settlement are Sidhant Chandalia, Naysar Parikh, and Ronak Narendra Parikh, as outlined in two separate orders issued by SEBI.

According to the settlement details, Sidhant Chandalia and Naysar Parikh each paid Rs 50.7 lakh as their portion of the settlement amount. Meanwhile, Ronak Narendra Parikh contributed Rs 45.5 lakh as a settlement charge and an additional Rs 8.98 lakh for the disgorgement of wrongful gains, including interest.

SEBI stated, “Given the acceptance of the settlement terms and the receipt of the settlement amount, the instant adjudication proceedings initiated against the Noticee(s) vide SCN (Show Cause Notice) are disposed of.”

The directives were issued following the submission of applications by the three individuals to SEBI, proposing to settle the ongoing proceedings against them “without admitting or denying the findings of facts” through settlement orders.

SEBI had initially launched adjudication proceedings against these individuals for their alleged violations of the Prohibition of Insider Trading (PIT) rules in connection with trading activities related to the scrip of PNB Housing Finance.

A show cause notice was issued to Sidhant Chandalia for allegedly communicating Unpublished Price Sensitive Information (UPSI) related to PNB Housing Finance.

Additionally, show cause notices were served to Naysar Parikh and Ronak Narendra Parikh, requiring them to explain why an inquiry should not be held and penalties imposed.

The notices were issued based on allegations that Naysar Parikh communicated UPSI while possessing it, and Ronak Narendra Parikh traded in the company’s scrip using the UPSI.

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Aadhar was purchased by private equity firm Blackstone in 2019 for roughly $300 million as a result of the group’s wager on the rising demand in India for finance and affordable housing.

The IPO is Aadhar’s second attempt at listing following the cancellation of a $1 billion plan in 2022 due to market turbulence following the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

According to these sources, Aadhar intends to submit its IPO paperwork to India’s market regulator in the upcoming two weeks.

In the midst of record-high stock markets in India—a rare bright spot for international investors—a deal would be the most recent instance of private equity investors seeking to sell off portions of their businesses.

A rapidly expanding economy and promises of political stability are driving the nation’s record-listing intentions at the moment. Its benchmark index, the Sensex, is trading close to record highs, and its stock market recently surpassed Hong Kong’s to become the fourth largest in the world.

“Blackstone intends to sell a portion of its holding to profit from the current state of the market. Since the IPO plan is still confidential, one of the two sources, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that timing is crucial for a progressive sell-down.

As consultants for its most recent initial public offering (IPO) filing, Aadhar has enlisted investment banks Citi, Nomura, and India’s Kotak and ICICI. The sources stated that a Mumbai listing is anticipated by May.

Citi, Nomura, and Blackstone all declined to comment. Aadhar, ICICI, and Kotak did not reply to requests for comments.

Aadhar provides house loans up to $18,000 to individuals with as low as $75 monthly income in a nation where escalating real estate costs have made major city property ownership more and more challenging.

According to the company, “economically weaker sections and low-income groups” receive the majority of its loans.

Although state-owned and private banks account for the majority of mortgage loans in India, more recent private equity-owned companies are vying for market dominance. In recent years, investors like Morgan Stanley and Warburg Pincus have placed bets on the industry.

Aadhar claims to oversee $2 billion in loans across 20 Indian states and 479 offices. According to its annual report, during 2022–2023 its net profit increased by 22% to $65 million, while its total income increased by 18% to $245 million.

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