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Order in respect of Alexcon Foamcast Limited

Securities And Exchange Board Of India23 November 2015

Ratio decidendi

The rule this decision rests on

A listed company that fails to obtain SCORES authentication as directed by SEBI circular dated August 13, 2012, and that leaves an investor grievance unresolved despite SEBI's repeated advice, is in breach of its obligation under section 11 of the SEBI Act to redress investor complaints in accordance with SEBI's advice and directions. Such non-compliance, and the failure to redress investor grievances, adversely affects investors' confidence in the securities market, and it is therefore a fit case for directions under section 11B of the SEBI Act restraining the company from accessing the securities market and from buying, selling or dealing in securities until it obtains SCORES authentication and resolves the pending grievances. Where a noticee has been given sufficient opportunities to be heard, including a personal hearing notice served by affixture, and has neither appeared nor filed a reply to the show cause notice, the adjudicating authority may decide the matter on the basis of the material available on record.

Written by Miss Lucy from the judgment below, not taken from a headnote.

Judgment

As delivered

WTM/RKA/EFD/154/2015 BEFORE THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE BOARD OF INDIA ORDER UNDER SECTION 11B OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE BOARD OF INDIA ACT, 1992 In respect of Alexcon Foamcast Limited 1. Alexcon Foamcast Limited (hereinafter referred to as ‘the company’) is a company incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 having its registered office at Jayalaxmi Industries Premises, Khatani textile Mill Compound, Bazar Road, Kurla (West), Mumbai- 400070. 2. SEBI vide its circular no. CIR/OIAE/1/2012 dated August 13, 2012 directed all companies whose securities are listed on stock exchanges to obtain SEBI Complaints Redress System (SCORES) authentication by September 14, 2012 and to take appropriate necessary steps within seven days of receipt of complaints through SCORES, so as to resolve the complaint within thirty days of its receipt. 3. However, since certain companies including Alexcon Foamcast Limited did not obtain SCORES authentication within the time period specified in the aforementioned circular, a public notice was issued on January 13, 2013, advising inter alia the companies to obtain SCORES authentication within seven days from the date of the advertisement, failing which SEBI would be constrained to initiate appropriate enforcement actions. However, the company still failed to obtain SCORES authentication. It was also observed that one investor complaint was pending against the company. 4. Since the company did not obtain SCORES authentication and failed to redress one investor grievance, SEBI issued Show Cause Notice (SCN) dated May 02, 2014 to the company calling upon it to show cause as to why suitable directions including direction to restrain it from accessing the securities market for a specified period should not be passed under section 11B of the SEBI Act. The SCN issued to the company was sent on its registered office address through Registered Post Acknowledgement Due. However, the SCN returned undelivered. Thereafter, on October 11, 2014, the SCN was served on the company by way of affixture.

In the matter of Alexcon Foamcast Limited

5. An opportunity of personal hearing was granted to the company on November 04, 2015. The notice to this effect was served on the company on October 30, 2015 by way of affixture at its registered office address. However the company chose not to appear for the personal hearing on the scheduled date. 6. I note that sufficient opportunities have been granted to the company and it is not keen to avail the same. I further note that the company has not even filed any written reply/submission to the SCN. In view of these facts and circumstances, I deem it appropriate to decide the matter on the basis of material available on record. 7. I note that as on November 19, 2015 the company had not obtained SCORES authentication, as required under SEBI circular dated August 13, 2012. I further note that as on November 19, 2015 the investor complaint as indicated in SCN was pending against the company for redressal, the details of which are mentioned in the following Table: Details of the investor complaint Sr. no. Complaint Registration Name of Category Date of No. Complainant Receipt 1. SEBIP/MH01/9115174/1 Suman Agarwal Non-receipt of shares 21/12/2001 after Transfer 8. I note that the investor complaint is pending unresolved since the year 2001. In addition to the obligations under the provisions of Companies Act, the company is also under an obligation to redress all investor complaints in terms of the advice/directions of SEBI, in view of the provisions of section 11 of the SEBI Act.

However, the company has not shown any tenacity in resolving the investor grievance and in spite of repeated advice of SEBI, the said investor grievance is pending till date. 9. Failure to redress investor grievances, by a listed company adversely affects the confidence of investors in the securities market. In view of the foregoing, I am of the view that it is a fit case to issue appropriate directions under section 11B of the SEBI Act against the company as contemplated in the show cause notice issued to it. I, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred upon me under section 19 of the SEBI Act read with sections 11 and 11B thereof, hereby restrain and prohibit Alexcon Foamcast Limited from accessing the securities market and from buying, selling or dealing in securities, directly or indirectly, in whatsoever manner, till it obtains SCORES authentication in terms of the SEBI circular dated August 13, 2012 and resolves all the investor grievances pending against it. The aforesaid direction is without prejudice to any other action that may be taken against the company and its directors in accordance with law.

10. This Order shall come into force with immediate effect. A copy of this Order shall also be served upon the depositories and stock exchanges for necessary action.

Sd/-

Date: November 23rd, 2015 RAJEEV KUMAR AGARWAL Place: Mumbai WHOLE TIME MEMBER SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE BOARD OF INDIA

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