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UNDER SECTION 15 I OF SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE BOARD OF INDIA ACT,
1992 READ WITH RULE 5(1) OF SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE BOARD OF INDIA
(PROCEDURE FOR HOLDING INQUIRY AND IMPOSING PENALTIES BY
ADJUDICATING OFFICER) RULES, 1995
In respect of:
Ms. Kajal R Vasa
Ashray, Nandanvan Society,
Near Karnavati Club,
Sarkhej Gandhinagar Highway,
Ahmedabad 380 058
______________________________________________________________________
FACTS OF THE CASE IN BRIEF
1. Securities and Exchange Board of India (hereinafter referred to as 'SEBI'), while
examining the offer document of Contech Software Limited (hereinafter referred
to as 'CSL/ Company') observed certain non compliances by the promoters of
the company. The shares of the company are listed at BSE Ltd.
APPOINTMENT OF ADJUDICATING OFFICER
2. I was appointed as Adjudicating Officer under Section 15-I of the Securities and
Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (hereinafter referred to as the SEBI Act)
read with Rule 3 of the SEBI (Procedure of Holding Inquiry and Imposing
Penalties by Adjudicating Officer) Rules, 1995 (hereinafter referred to as the
Rules), Section 19 of the SEBI Act read with Regulations 44 and 45 of the SEBI
(Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeover) Regulations, 1997 (hereinafter
referred to as 'SAST Regulations') and Regulation 35 of the SEBI (Substantial
Acquisition of Shares and Takeover) Regulations, 2011 to inquire into and
adjudge under Section 15A(b) of the SEBI Act, the violation of Regulations 7(1A)
read with 7(2) of the SAST Regulations alleged to have been committed by Ms.
Kajal R Vasa (hereinafter referred to as 'noticee'). The said appointment was
communicated vide proceedings of the Whole Time Member appointing
Adjudicating Officer dated April 26, 2013.
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Sr.
No.
Regulation
Due Date of
Actual Date of
Delay
Compliance
Compliance
(days)
1.
7(1A)
31.12.2006
03.03.2007
62
2.
7(2)
31.12.2006
03.03.2007
62
3.
7(1A)
07.02.2007
03.03.2007
24
4.
7(2)
07.02.2007
03.03.2007
24
5. The noticee, vide her letter dated September 13, 2013 sought 30 days time to
submit reply to the SCN as she had to collect detailed information and records of
the said transactions. In response to the same, vide letter dated September 26,
2013, the noticee was granted 15 days time to submit a reply to the SCN.
6. Vide her letter dated October 14, 2013, the noticee made the following
submissions:
a. Noticee states that a perusal of the notice itself would show that there is in
fact actual compliance made of various regulations of SAST Regulations
mentioned in the SCN though after some delay.
b. From the facts and circumstances, it is evident that noticee has made
compliance of all the Regulations 7(1A) and 7(2) of the SAST Regulations
way back in March 2007. The SEBI / Board has accepted the compliance
without any qualification or objection. Noticee has acted upon the
acquisitions of shares in question for all these years without any
interruption or objection from SEBI / Board.
c. Noticee had acquired some shares from the market which was under
permissible limits of the creeping acquisition and then had gifted her entire
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13. In this regard, noticee has admitted that there was a delay of 62 days when she
had acquired shares and a delay of 24 days when she had sold shares while
11.(1)Noacquirerwho,togetherwithpersonsactinginconcertwithhim,hasacquired,inaccordancewiththe
provisions of law,15per cent or more but less thanfifty five per cent.(55%) of the shares or voting rights in a
company,shallacquire,eitherbyhimselforthroughorwithpersonsactinginconcertwithhim,additionalshares
or voting rights entitling him to exercise more than5% of the voting rights,in any financialyear ending on 31st
March,unlesssuchacquirermakesapublicannouncementtoacquiresharesinaccordancewiththeRegulations.
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complying with Regulations 7(1A) read with 7(2) of the SAST Regulations due to
lack proper knowledge of the relevant regulations.
14. At this juncture, I would like to quote the order of Hon'ble Securities Appellate
Tribunal (hereinafter referred to as 'SAT') in G. Suresh Vs. SEBI dated
29.04.2014, wherein it was held that "True and timely disclosures by an acquirer
of shares in a company are an important regulatory tool intended to serve a
public purpose of disseminating this information to the company as well as to
Stock Exchange expeditiously. Such disclosures are very important as they help
investors to take an informed decision in investing in the scrip of said company."
15. Noticee's submission with respect to her first transaction on 29.12.2006 that it
was under permissible limits of creeping acquisition may not be accepted as the
provisions of Regulation 7 (1A) of SAST Regulations makes it clear that
purchase of shares aggregating to 2% or more is permissible only if a disclosure
has been made within 2 days of such purchase. In the given situation, noticee
failed to adhere to the timeline given under Regulation 7 (2) of SAST
Regulations.
16. The noticee with respect to her second transaction has submitted that she had
given the said shares to her sons as gift. However, she has not submitted any
documents in support of her claim. In the absence of any evidence, it is difficult to
accept noticee's submission.
17. Noticee's contention that delay in compliance has not caused any prejudice to
any person, authority or investors is not material since the regulation get s
triggered the moment there is an acquisition or sale of shares aggregating to two
per cent or more of the share capital.
18. Hon'ble SAT in Ensen Holdings Ltd. Vs SEBI decided on 13.06.2014 has
observed as follows "...Second argument of the appellant to the effect that there
was no disproportionate gain or unfair advantage derived by the appellants or
loss caused to the investors as a result of failure on part of the appellant to make
disclosures and hence penalty ought not to have been levied is also without any
merit because obligation to make disclosure under Regulation 8(1) and 8(2) of
SAST
Regulations,
1997
is
not
restricted
to
cases
where
there
is
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investors, obligation to make disclosures under Regulation 8(1) and 8(2) of SAST
Regulations, 1997 have to be complied with. No doubt, that these factors are
required to be taken into consideration while determining the quantum of
penalty..."
19. Although the above observation was on failure to disclose under Regulations 8(1)
and 8(2) of SAST Regulations but in my opinion the same rational can be
extended for delay in making disclosures under Regulation 7(1A) of SAST
Regulations.
20. Noticee's submission that provisions of the SAST Regulations cannot be held to
be mandatory in nature is not correct since a bare reading of the text of
Regulations 7(1A) read with 7(2) of the SAST Regulations makes it clear that the
disclosures are mandatory in nature. The same can be understood from the use
of word "shall" in the said provisions.
21. The submission made by the noticee that the compliances made by her has been
accepted by the SEBI / Board without any objection is also not correct as the
current adjudication proceedings has been initiated by SEBI for the aforesaid
delay in making disclosures under SAST Regulations. Noticee's submission that
delay in compliance was due to lack of proper knowledge may not be accepted.
22. In view of the facts as discussed above and material made available on record, it
can be concluded that the noticee has failed to comply with the provisions of
Regulations 7(1A) read with 7(2) of the SAST Regulations for the acquisition
made on 29.12.2006 and sell transaction on 05.02.2007.
23. The aforesaid delays in making the disclosures makes the noticee liable for
penalty under Section 15A(b) of the SEBI Act which is reproduced below:
" Penalty for failure to furnish information, return, etc.
15A. If any person, who is required under this Act or any rules or regulations made
thereunder,
(b) to file any return or furnish any information, books or other documents within the
time specified therefor in the regulations, fails to file return or furnish the same within
the time specified therefor in the regulations, he shall be liable to a penalty of one lakh
rupees for each day during which such failure continues or one crore rupees,
whichever is less;"
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24. In this regard, the provisions of Section 15J of the SEBI Act and Rule 5 of the
Rules require that while adjudging the quantum of penalty, the adjudicating
officer shall have due regard to the following factors namely;
a. the amount of disproportionate gain or unfair advantage wherever
quantifiable, made as a result of the default;
b. the amount of loss caused to an investor or group of investors as a
result of the default;
c. the repetitive nature of the default.
25. With regard to the above factors to be considered while determining the quantum
of penalty, it is noted that the disproportionate gain or unfair advantage made by
the noticee or loss caused to the investors as a result of the delay on the part of
the noticee is not available on record. Further, it may also be added that it is
difficult to quantify the unfair advantage made by the noticee or the loss caused
to the investors in a default of this nature.
26. At this juncture, I would like to quote the judgement of the Honble Supreme
Court of India in the matter of SEBI Vs. Shri Ram Mutual Fund [2006] 68 SCL
216(SC) wherein it was held that :
..once the violation of statutory regulations is established, imposition of
penalty becomes sine qua non of violation and the intention of parties
committing such violation becomes totally irrelevant. Once the contravention
is established, then the penalty is to follow..
27. In view of the abovementioned conclusion, I hereby impose a penalty of
` 2,00,000/- (Rupees Two Lakh only) on the noticee under Section 15A(b) of the
Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 for delay in disclosing under
Regulations 7 (1A) read with 7 (2) of the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares
and Takeover) Regulations, 1997 for the acquisition made on 29.12.2006 and
` 1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) on the noticee under Section 15A(b) of the
Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 for delay in disclosing under
Regulations 7 (1A) read with 7 (2) of the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares
and Takeover) Regulations, 1997 for the sell transaction on 05.02.2007 which is
appropriate in the facts and circumstances of the case.
ORDER
28. In exercise of the powers conferred under Section15 I of the Securities and
Exchange Board of India Act, 1992, and Rule 5 of Securities and Exchange
Board of India (Procedure for Holding Inquiry and Imposing Penalties by
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Place: Mumbai
D. RAVI KUMAR
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