Sebi raids prominent Mumbai influencer in crackdown on market violations

New Delhi: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has conducted a search operation on a leading financial influencer in Mumbai, according to a Mint report. The action is part of the regulator’s wider effort to strengthen compliance and deter malpractice in the securities market.

According to the report, the operation was described as involving a prominent figure in the financial influencer space. Sebi officials indicated that the move reflects the regulator’s focus on building investor confidence and ensuring voluntary adherence to securities laws.

The report added that Sebi has been distinguishing between influencers who provide genuine financial education and those engaged in mis-selling or giving unauthorised investment advice, sometimes using live trading data. The regulator has cautioned that such activities cannot be carried out without proper registration.

The report also noted that Sebi has enhanced its technological capabilities to detect real-time violations and is bringing in specialist talent to address complex manipulation strategies, including those linked to algorithmic trading.

Separately, the regulator has stepped up its approval process for initial public offerings (IPOs), with July seeing the clearance of a record number of applications, according to the report.

At the same time, the regulator has introduced relaxations in certain requirements for registered investment advisors but continues to stress the need for safeguarding investor interests.