Regulators
SEBI cracks down on Zee with Rs 1.48 crore penalty, bars Goenka and Chandra over securities law violations
Regulator imposes Rs 1.48 crore penalty after probe into undisclosed use of company property
New Delhi: Zee Entertainment has found itself in regulatory crosshairs after the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) imposed penalties totalling Rs 1.48 crore on the broadcaster, its chief executive Punit Goenka and founder-chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra for violating securities laws, according to a Reuters report.
SEBI also barred Goenka and Chandra from accessing the securities market for one year. The regulator prohibited Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) from the securities market for two months.
The action follows an investigation triggered by missing title deeds relating to a company property. According to SEBI, the probe found that land owned by ZEEL had been used as collateral for loans raised by entities linked to a major shareholder without obtaining the necessary corporate approvals.
The regulator said the company’s property had been deployed for the benefit of related entities and that the arrangement was not disclosed to ZEEL’s board of directors, audit committee, shareholders or investors.
As part of the enforcement action, SEBI imposed a penalty of Rs 58 lakh on Punit Goenka and Rs 60 lakh on Subhash Chandra. ZEEL was fined Rs 30 lakh.
The latest order adds to the regulatory scrutiny surrounding the media company, which operates television channels including Zee TV and Zee Cinema, along with streaming platform ZEE5. Earlier this year, ZEEL secured the broadcasting rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in India.
The SEBI order marks another significant development for the broadcaster, reinforcing the regulator’s focus on corporate governance, transparency and disclosure standards for listed companies.
