Core Education and Technologies has moved SEBI seeking a probe into the high volumes of trading in its shares that led to a steep fall of 81 per cent in share prices.
The stock fell from a high of Rs 300 to a low of Rs 56.55, in just three days.
“We would like to request your office to assist the company in conducting your investigation in such unusual high volume and price movement…,” the company said in its letter to the market regulator.
The technology-enabled education solutions provider has also sought the market regulator’s assistance in providing appropriate price circuits for its scrip. This is to prevent “further damage and repose shareholders and all stakeholders’ confidence,” it added.
Though the stock is not traded under F&O list directly, since it is a part of CNX-IT, which has derivatives contracts, no circuit filter is applicable to the stock.
Tumbles continuously
Last Monday, the company’s shares fell by more than 62 per cent on market talks that lenders were diluting shares pledged by the promoters. The prices recovered by noon on Tuesday, after it clarified that pledged shares were not sold in the market. On Wednesday, it fell further by 46 per cent to close at Rs 60.30.
“Further, we would like to clarify on the rumours of promoters pledged shares being sold, that we have confirmed with all the financial institutions that none of them have sold the pledged shares and that they continue to hold the same,” it said. However, today IFCI sold 36.95 lakh shares.
On Monday, Cresta Fund informed the exchanges that it sold 28.16 lakh shares or 2.4598 per cent stake in the company on February 25. After the sale, their holding reduced to 2.3572 per cent.
On Tuesday, SEBI Chairman in Hyderabad, U.K. Sinha, said: “Whenever we worry either through our own surveillance mechanism or through other medium that somebody has tried to manipulate the market, we take action.”
rajesh.kurup@thehindu.co.in