Archive · 2 Jan 2026
Sebi Bars 26 for SME Stock Manipulation
The market regulator, Sebi, has found that 26 people worked together to artificially increase the price of a small company's stock.
They did this through fake trades, and the stock price went up by over 2,000% in just a year.
Sebi has now banned these people from trading for a few years and made them pay back the money they illegally earned.
The regulator wants to stop such cheating to protect other investors.
Sebi has barred 26 individuals from trading for alleged price manipulation in DU Digital Global stock.
The regulator imposed a penalty of Rs 1.85 crore and directed disgorgement of Rs 98.78 lakh in illegal gains.
The stock price surged from Rs 12 per share in August 2021 to Rs 296.05 in November 2022, a 2,467% increase.
Sebi noted that the individuals used deceptive trading strategies to artificially inflate the stock price and volume.
The ban on trading ranges from one year to 30 months for the individuals involved.
- Who
- 26 individuals involved in alleged price manipulation of DU Digital Global stock
- What
- Sebi has barred these individuals from trading and imposed penalties
- When
- The investigation followed a steep rise in stock price from August 2021 to November 2022
- Where
- The manipulation occurred in the SME segment of the National Stock Exchange (NSE)
- Why
- To deter price manipulation and restore investor confidence in the SME segment
- Regulator
- Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi)
- Individuals Barred
- 26
- Penalty Imposed
- Rs 1.85 crore
- Illegal Gains Disgorged
- Rs 98.78 lakh
- Stock Involved
- DU Digital Global
- Price Surge
- 2,467% in one year
- Bar Duration
- 1 year to 30 months