The Enforcement Directorate (ED) reports a decline in traditional financial crimes due to sustained investigative actions and government initiatives, while highlighting emerging challenges like cryptocurrency fraud and terror financing.
The Enforcement Directorate has reported a staggering 170 per cent surge in asset attachments, reaching 81,422 crore in the last financial year (FY26), underscoring its intensified efforts against financial crimes and its significant role in restituting funds to victims.
Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi strengthened the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to combat financial crimes like money laundering and corruption, dismissing allegations of it being used to target political opponents.
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) will invite public comments on the revised International Standard on Auditing 600 (ISA 600) proposed to be adopted by publicly listed companies and non-public-sector banks, sources close to the development told Business Standard. The decision to take this "graded approach" for the adoption of the ISA, which is meant to rein in auditors often found hiding behind the audit reports signed off by subsidiary companies, was taken at a meeting of various financial sector regulators at NFRA's board meeting on Monday (August 26). The idea behind upgrading the Standards of Audit 600 currently followed by Indian auditors to ISA 600 is to plug current gaps, which have led to major audit lapses in the recent past.
A significant majority (57%) of India's investment advisors are concentrated in just five metro cities, leading to concerns about financial inclusion and the spread of financial market products beyond urban centres, according to a Business Standard analysis of Sebi data.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested three founders of online gaming platform, Gameskraft, in an alleged fraud-linked money laundering case. Deepak Singh, Prithvi Raj Singh and Vikas Taneja have been taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Rapid growth in personal gold loans has raised concerns over borrower leverage, large-ticket exposure and volatility in gold prices, points out Swaminathan J, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India.
Shirdi police have taken custody of self-styled godman Ashok Kharat as part of an investigation into a cheating case involving Rs 5 crore. The case was registered based on a complaint by a farmer, and Kharat will be produced in court. This is the ninth case against Kharat, who is also being investigated for sexual exploitation and money laundering.
'It has always been viewed as a hedge against inflation.'
The University Grants Commission's (UGC) new regulations on promoting equity in higher education institutions have sparked protests and legal challenges. This article explains the regulations, the concerns raised, and the government's response.
Fintech giant PhonePe has announced it has surpassed 50 million registered merchants on its platform, marking a significant milestone as it expands its financial service offerings beyond QR code payments.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is shifting its focus to emerging financial crimes such as cryptocurrency fraud, terror financing, cyber-enabled crimes, and narcotics trafficking, according to Director Rahul Navin. The agency reported a high conviction rate and significant asset restitution to victims of financial fraud.
India's mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market is projected to maintain an annual run-rate of approximately $200 billion, evenly split between domestic, inbound, and outbound transactions, despite global geopolitical turbulence, according to Rajesh Singhi, global co-head, M&A Advisory, Standard Chartered Bank.
Former HDFC Bank chairman Atanu Chakraborty cites misselling of AT-1 bonds and underperformance as key reasons for his resignation, dismissing personal differences as a major factor.
Police in Kerala have filed an extortion case against an online loan app following the death of a student who allegedly faced harassment and intimidation over loan recovery.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has proposed a new framework for calculating the networth requirement for stock brokers, moving away from the current method linked to client cash balances. The revised approach will factor in both client funds handled and the number of active clients serviced, aiming to strengthen brokers' financial buffers.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted approval for UAE-based Emirates NBD (ENBD) PJSC to acquire up to a 74 per cent stake in RBL Bank for $3 billion, marking the largest foreign investment ever in a domestic Indian bank.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with bank heads to discuss the risks associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) following global concerns about Anthropic's Mythos model and its potential threat to financial systems' data security.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with bank heads to discuss risks related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) following global concerns over Anthropic's Mythos model threatening data security of financial systems.
Hindustan Unilever (HUL) exceeded consensus estimates in Q4FY26, driven by lower overheads and 6 per cent consolidated volume growth. However, the company anticipates further price hikes to counter an expected 8-10 per cent material cost inflation, while maintaining a mid-term margin guidance of 22.5-23.5 per cent.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with bank heads to discuss risks related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) following global concerns over Anthropic's Mythos model and its potential threat to financial systems' data security.
The Supreme Court has stated that roads cannot be blocked for religious activities and that while religious denominations have autonomy in worship, the government can interfere if secular activities are affected.
Public sector banks in India are increasing their IT spending to bolster cybersecurity measures in response to concerns about Anthropic's Claude Mythos AI tool and its potential to exploit vulnerabilities in financial systems.
Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi strengthened the Enforcement Directorate to combat financial crimes like money laundering and corruption, dismissing allegations of it being used to target political opponents.
A special SEBI court convicted two directors and their five firms, linked to late stockbroker Harshad Mehta, for failing to provide information during a 1998 investigation into the manipulation of shares belonging to BPL and Videocon.
Bernstein brokerage firm maintains 'Outperform' rating for Paytm, stating the PPBL licence cancellation will not impact Paytm's business and may open new regulatory opportunities.
NITI Aayog Member Rajiv Gauba has detailed an extensive deregulation agenda, moving India towards a 'permitted unless prohibited' principle to dismantle new forms of the Licence Raj and clear 'regulatory cholesterol' for businesses.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges Indians to travel less, rising fuel prices are already changing driving habits.
Global brokerage firm Jefferies has reiterated its 'Buy' rating on Paytm, stating that the company's growth engine and profitability will remain intact despite regulatory action on its associate entity Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL). The company has maintained its price target of Rs 1,350, implying an 18 per cent upside.
Yield-generating instruments like Infrastructure Investment Trusts (Invits), Real Estate Investment Trusts (Reits), and Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) are witnessing a surge in investor interest, contrasting with a notable slowdown in the equity primary market, which saw only one IPO in April.
A senior citizen in Navi Mumbai was allegedly swindled of 64 lakh over four years by cyber fraudsters posing as insurance regulators and grievance officials.
Following regulatory action against Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL), Paytm strategically separated its core operations, a move praised by analysts for preserving business continuity and governance. This separation has enabled Paytm to sustain growth and improve profitability.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries' acquisition of US-based Organon & Co. for $11.75 billion, the largest overseas acquisition by an Indian pharma company, has been met with mixed reactions from brokerages, who see strategic entry into women's health and biosimilars but also flag potential integration challenges and debt concerns.
"Policy sales will be one of the focus areas for the company because looking at the large insurance gap, large number of people being uncovered. The only right way to go is to increase the number of policies," said Amit Jhingran, MD & CEO, SBI Life Insurance.
The Reserve Bank of India's 2024 norms for the voluntary conversion of Small Finance Banks (SFBs) into universal banks, particularly the subjective 'diversified loan portfolio' criterion, are proving to be a significant hurdle, with Ujjivan SFB and Jana SFB having their applications returned.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman convened a high-level meeting with bank heads to assess cybersecurity risks linked to advanced AI models, following concerns over Anthropic's Claude Mythos system and its potential impact on financial data security.
The Income Tax Department has clarified the applicability of TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) on interest income for banking companies under the Income Tax Act, 2025, aligning it with the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
The top agenda of the meeting includes a review of Tata Trusts representation on the Tata Sons board.
Shares of Indian life insurance companies, particularly SBI Life Insurance and Canara HSBC Life Insurance, saw significant declines after the Department of Financial Services (DFS) secretary, M Nagaraju, stated that banks are being asked to avoid exclusive tie-ups with their own insurance subsidiaries and instead remain neutral.
HDFC Life Insurance reported a 4 per cent year-on-year increase in net profit to Rs 495.6 crore for Q4FY26, while its parent, HDFC Bank, announced a Rs 1,000 crore preferential share issuance to raise its stake to 50.5 per cent.