Nivedita Mookerji And Dev Chatterjee

Stories by Nivedita Mookerji And Dev Chatterjee

ABG's auditor failed to red-flag fund diversion

ABG's auditor failed to red-flag fund diversion

Rediff.com   1 Mar 2022

The auditor of ABG Shipyard, which is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for the Rs 23,000-crore default to banks, had settled an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) by paying a small settlement fee in 2019. The regulator had initiated an investigation into the fund diversion from ABG Shipyard and had asked the auditor to explain why it failed to detect fund diversion in time. In his settlement application, auditor MN Ahmed, partner of Nisar & Kumar, a chartered accountant firm, said he ceased to be an Indian citizen and has retired from the profession.

Adani, Jindal, Ambani are in race to buy Videocon's assets

Adani, Jindal, Ambani are in race to buy Videocon's assets

Rediff.com   10 Feb 2022

With the Adani and Jindal groups and Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries joining the race to buy Videocon Industries' (VIL's) assets, lenders are expecting aggressive bids for VIL's consumer durables and overseas oil assets, which are to be sold in separate auctions. The entire asset sale exercise is expected to be completed in the next six months, said a banker. A promoter entity of Naveen Jindal-owned Jindal Steel and Power has also evinced interest in the second round of bids for VIL's consumer durable business. The deadline to submit bids for VIL's assets ended on February 2.

World is awash in capital, no better time to be an entrepreneur: Kumar Birla

World is awash in capital, no better time to be an entrepreneur: Kumar Birla

Rediff.com   29 Jan 2022

A hallmark of some new businesses today is that they seek to use the brute force of capital, combined with smart technology and operations, to create new needs that you didn't even know existed, the chairman of Aditya Birla group said in a blog post on the trends for the new year.

India Inc urges Budget sops to boost capex

India Inc urges Budget sops to boost capex

Rediff.com   24 Jan 2022

Indian companies are expecting generous tax incentives from the Union Budget that will help them invest more in building capacities in the coming years. While the productivity-linked incentives (PLIs) are a good start to spur local manufacturing, the government should also take steps to boost consumer demand, which is not showing encouraging signs, say chief executive officers (CEOs) of India Inc. Statistics released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows that Indian banks had sanctioned loans worth Rs 75,558 crore in 220 new projects - a record low - in the pandemic-hit financial year ending March 2021. This is not showing any signs of a significant pick up in the last nine months of the ongoing financial year.

Tata group companies outshine the market under N Chandrasekaran

Tata group companies outshine the market under N Chandrasekaran

Rediff.com   20 Jan 2022

The group began to outperform the broader market only with the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 while earlier it was largely keeping pace with the Sensex. The group's market cap is up 164.4 per cent since the end of March 2020 against a 105 per cent rally in the Sensex.

Weird case of why L&T lost 14 large orders in India

Weird case of why L&T lost 14 large orders in India

Rediff.com   14 Dec 2021

Larsen & Toubro (L&T), India's largest construction and engineering player, has lost as many as 14 large orders in the country because companies that don't possess adequate technical expertise and experience, of late, have won the projects by bidding lower, claimed A M Naik, non-executive chairman of L&T. But the company has made up for the losses by winning projects overseas, where it has acquired a sizeable market share amid tough competition from large global players, he said.

Reliance Infra: How this Anil Ambani firm plans to prune group debt by Mar

Reliance Infra: How this Anil Ambani firm plans to prune group debt by Mar

Rediff.com   7 Dec 2021

The Reserve Bank of India's action against Reliance Capital comes at a time when the Anil Ambani group was planning to make a comeback with the group company, Reliance Infrastructure, raising funds from the promoter family. As part of the comeback plan, Reliance Infrastructure received Rs 550 crore fund infusion from the Anil Ambani family. A month earlier, Reliance Power, a listed subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure, also raised funds from its parent by issuing preferential allotment of shares thus increasing the stake of Reliance Infrastructure in the company.

What does 5G spectrum auction delay mean for India?

What does 5G spectrum auction delay mean for India?

Rediff.com   29 Nov 2021

Discussing the prospect of more reform earlier this month, telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a delay in the 5G spectrum auction. India's telecom sector regulation has to be benchmarked with the global best, he said. It's another matter that many countries have either introduced or are about to roll out 5G services that will enable cutting-edge tech in diverse areas. For India, too, it will mean a lot for healthcare, robotics and unleashing a new chapter in Digital India perhaps.

Tatas to buy residual stake in AirAsia India

Tatas to buy residual stake in AirAsia India

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2021

Tata Sons is all set to acquire a residual stake of 16.33 per cent in AirAsia India from its joint venture (JV) partner AirAsia Berhad for $19 million (or Rs 142 crore) by early next year. The valuation is in accordance with the previous transaction under which AirAsia Berhad had sold its 32.6 per cent stake, said a banking source. Tata Group had increased its stake in AirAsia India at a valuation of $115 million.

Tatas, Adani, Ambanis in scramble for super app

Tatas, Adani, Ambanis in scramble for super app

Rediff.com   8 Nov 2021

The groups plan to take on well-entrenched players like Amazon, Flipkart, and Paytm by merging their offline businesses with e-commerce initiatives.

Future Retail independent directors drag Amazon to CCI

Future Retail independent directors drag Amazon to CCI

Rediff.com   8 Nov 2021

Amazon violated FDI norms, allege Future Retail independent directors.

Dish TV vs Yes Bank: Another corporate battle looms

Dish TV vs Yes Bank: Another corporate battle looms

Rediff.com   18 Oct 2021

Even as the corporate battle over Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) has reached the Bombay high court, another Essel Group firm - Dish TV India - is gearing up for a legal battle with YES Bank by planning to move the National Company Law Tribunal to appoint six of its nominees on the board of the loss-making company. While Dish TV said YES Bank has acquired 26 per cent stake by invoking the pledged shares of Essel Group promoter, it also said YES Bank must make an open offer to shareholders of the company, according to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) takeover code. This, as YES Bank is seeking to take control of the company, said Dish TV.

'Vaccine hesitancy has more or less gone'

'Vaccine hesitancy has more or less gone'

Rediff.com   11 Oct 2021

'Demand is wonderful. We have crossed 10 million on many days.' 'The Swedish trade commissioner recently said, "You guys are vaccinating the entire Sweden in one day".'

Despite govt's relief package, questions remain over Voda Idea's survival

Despite govt's relief package, questions remain over Voda Idea's survival

Rediff.com   4 Oct 2021

The question mark over Vodafone Idea's survival is gone after the government's telecom package, managing director and chief executive officer Ravinder Takkar said in an interaction recently. The extended moratorium for spectrum payments and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues has indeed ensured that Vodafone Idea survives, at least for the time being, but questions remain. Answers to those questions may determine the future of Vodafone Idea and its power to stay in a difficult telecom market in the coming years.

SBI ready to support Tata group's bid for Air India

SBI ready to support Tata group's bid for Air India

Rediff.com   28 Sep 2021

India's largest public sector bank State Bank of India (SBI) will support Tata group's bid for soon-to-be-privatised Air India by subscribing to Tata Sons debentures or funding the special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up by Tata Sons for the acquisition. Bankers said the credit rating of Tata group's holding company is "AAA" signifying high safety and a combination of Air India with its existing airline businesses would make it a formidable player - leading to a duopoly market with IndiGo. It would also open many business opportunities, including in the retail segment, an official said.

Shareholders vote down Birla nominees to board of directors

Shareholders vote down Birla nominees to board of directors

Rediff.com   25 Sep 2021

Vindhya Telelinks, Universal Cables and Birla Cable shareholders go against family's wishes.

Why Piyush Goyal is peeved at some in India Inc

Why Piyush Goyal is peeved at some in India Inc

Rediff.com   23 Aug 2021

Union Minister of Commerce and Textiles Piyush Goyal has stirred up a hornet's nest by taking on India Inc, specifically the Tata group, which is among the companies that lobbied against the Modi government's pro-consumer draft e-commerce policies. While Goyal's comments, made at a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) event, were streamed live on YouTube, the industry lobbying body later edited the video and subsequently withdrew the entire speech. Goyal had said the Tata group and other Indian companies often lobbied for their interest, while ignoring national interest.

How top realtors plan to transform Central Mumbai

How top realtors plan to transform Central Mumbai

Rediff.com   22 Aug 2021

One of Mumbai's biggest real estate redevelopment projects of Bombay Development Directorate's (BDD's) chawls (large buildings divided into many separate tenements, offering cheap, basic accommodation) has taken off in Central Mumbai, opening up a Rs 20,000-crore opportunity for real estate companies. It is expected to drive down real estate prices in Central Mumbai by up to 25 per cent, forecast real estate experts. Spread over 92 acres in Central Mumbai's prime localities of Worli, Lower Parel, and Dadar and consisting 195 four-storey houses, the BDD chawls were constructed in the 1920s.

Olympic Heroes Stars at I-Day Celebration

Olympic Heroes Stars at I-Day Celebration

Rediff.com   12 Aug 2021

The women who made India proud in Tokyo are set to be the Independence Day mascots. Invite from the PM has already gone out to these achievers to be guests of honour on August 15.

Tata group keen to enter chip manufacturing: Chandrasekaran

Tata group keen to enter chip manufacturing: Chandrasekaran

Rediff.com   10 Aug 2021

The Tata group is looking to make a foray into semiconductor (also known as chips) manufacturing and it has set up a business to seize the opportunity, Chairman N Chandrasekaran said on Monday. "At the Tata group, we have already pivoted into a number of new businesses like electronics manufacturing, 5G network equipment as well as semiconductors, in all probability," he said while speaking at the annual general meeting of the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Chandrasekaran said global supply chains, currently heavily dependent on China, would see a big change in a post-pandemic world with businesses shifting their reliance to other countries.