Indian regulator probes Adani’s links to investors as Modi’s office is briefed

India’s market regulator is investigating Adani Group’s links to some of the investors in the conglomerate’s aborted $2.5 billion share sale, two sources said, amid growing concern in New Delhi about a US short-seller’s allegations against one of the country’s top industrial groups.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is looking into any potential violation of Indian securities laws or any conflict of interest in the share sale process, said the two sources who have direct knowledge of the matter.

The watchdog is investigating relationships between Adani and at least two Mauritius-based firms -- Great International Tusker Fund and Ayushmat Ltd. -- which participated as anchor investors, among others, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the confidential nature of the probe, reported Reuters.

Under India’s capital and disclosure requirement rules, any entity related to a company’s founder or the founder group is ineligible to apply under the anchor investor category. One of the sources said the focus of the probe would be whether any of the anchor investors are “connected” to the founder group.

The ports-to-energy conglomerate -- controlled by billionaire Gautam Adani, one of the world’s richest people -- has seen shares in its seven companies lose more than $100 billion in market value since the Jan. 24 report by Hindenburg Research, which accused it of improper use of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation. Adani has denied the charges. Last week, the group’s flagship entity Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS) pulled its secondary share offering, India’s largest ever, because of the sharp selloff.

SEBI and the Adani Group did not respond to requests for comment about the investigation. Great International Tusker Fund and Ayushmat Ltd. also did not respond to requests for comment.

Also under the SEBI scanner are Elara Capital and Monarch Networth Capital, two of the 10 investment banks that managed the share offering, the sources said, adding that SEBI had approached the two firms last week.

The roles of Elara and Monarch are being examined by the market watchdog to rule out “any conflict” in the share offering process, one of the sources said.

Shares in Adani Enterprises extended their losses to 5% in Friday afternoon trade following Reuters’ report, having previously been down 2.5% earlier in the day.