Madhabi Puri Buch to appear before Public Accounts Committee today

SEBI Chair under radar: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is expected to hold a contentious session on Thursday, with both ruling and Opposition members set to interrogate Securities and Exchange Board of India ( SEBI ) Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch and senior officials regarding the regulator's performance amid allegations made by US-based Hindenburg Research.

According to media reports, Buch, along with three to four senior officials, is scheduled to attend the PAC meeting. 

SEBI had previously inquired whether it could send representatives in place of Buch; however, the committee insisted that her presence was necessary.

The PAC will assess the regulatory body's performance, with Opposition MPs planning to address the allegations against Buch. They are particularly focused on instances where Buch has recused herself due to potential conflicts of interest, as well as her involvement in investigations related to the Adani Group .

The committee is also expected to seek updates on the status of investigations into offshore entities purportedly connected to the Adani Group . Ruling BJP members are reportedly preparing their own questions regarding the ongoing investigations.

The Opposition has been vocal in calling for a parliamentary inquiry into Hindenburg Research's claims that Buch and her husband, Dhaval Buch, hold stakes in obscure offshore entities allegedly involved in the Adani money siphoning scandal.