PACL Claim Refund Status News: Important information for investors from Sebi

Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has asked investors of PACL Ltd, having claims of up to Rs 5,000, to check status of their application and rectify errors in the form by July 31 so that the regulator can initiate the refund process for them. The portal for investors to view status of their claim application has been operational from January 24. The last date for checking the status of applications and rectification of errors is July 31, 2020.

Recently, in the matter of PACL, the high-powered Lodha Committee, looking into refunds for the investors, has issued an important clarification. Lodha Committee had clarified that PACL did not make any offer to pay Rs 20,000 crore in 3 years. The important clarification came after a video was circulated on WhatsApp about the PACL group having offered to refund the money. PACL Group had collected more than Rs 60,000 crore from gullible investors through illegal collective investment schemes.

PACL, which had raised money from public in the name of agriculture and real estate businesses, was found by Sebi to have collected more than Rs 60,000 crore through illegal collective investment schemes (CIS) over a period of 18 years. A panel, headed by retired Justice R M Lodha, has been set up to manage refunds for investors who invested money in PACL.

The regulator, in January, had said that over 3.81 lakh investors, having claims of up to Rs 5,000, have been paid. However, certain applications could not be processed further on account of one or more errors in the application form.

In December 2015, Sebi had ordered attachment of all assets of PACL and its nine promoters and directors for their failure to refund the money due to investors.

In an order on August 22, 2014, Sebi had asked PACL, its promoters and directors to refund the money.
The defaulters were directed to wind up the schemes and refund money to investors within three months from the date of the order.