Moneylife News Bites

Hosted by Debashis Basu & Sucheta Dalal

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286

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Moneylife News Bites is a weekly podcast hosted by veteran journalists and founders of Moneylife, Sucheta Dalal and Debashis Basu. Each week a new episode analyses an important news topic, based completely on unbiased and ethically researched information that is not available anywhere else. A video version of this podcast is available on our YouTube channel - @MoneylifeNewsBites Interested listeners and readers can follow Moneylife News on our website - https://www.moneylife.in/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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June 11, 202619 min

SEBI vs Rajesh Exports: Explosive Findings, But Will Anything Really Happen?

SEBI's interim order against Rajesh Exports has sent shockwaves through India's capital markets. The regulator alleges financial misrepresentation involving an astonishing ₹15.15 lakh crore and has barred promoter Rajesh Mehta from the securities market pending further proceedings.But is this the beginning of a landmark enforcement action—or just another high-profile case that could get bogged down in appeals, settlements, procedural challenges, and years of litigation?In this audio, veteran financial journalist Sucheta Dalal examines:• What SEBI's 109-page interim order actually says• The questions surrounding Rajesh Exports and its Swiss subsidiary Valcambi• Why concerns about the company have existed for more than a decade• The role of regulators, auditors, banks and institutional investors• Lessons from past cases involving Jane Street, Reliance Industries and NSE• Whether India's securities market has lost its deterrence against wrongdoing• What ordinary investors should learn from the episodeMost importantly, the audio asks whether investors can rely on regulators to identify problems—or whether they must do their own due diligence long before official action arrives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June 4, 202618 min

Unclaimed Assets Portal Launched — But Is It Just a Redirect Page?

Sucheta Dalal explains why India's new Unclaimed Assets Portal falls short of the centralised database promised to the Supreme Court.The Government has launched the Unclaimed Assets Portal, describing it as a unified platform to help citizens trace unclaimed bank deposits, insurance claims, mutual funds, shares and dividends.But is it really the centralised database that was promised to the Supreme Court in response to the PIL filed by Moneylife Foundation founder-trustee Sucheta Dalal?In this audio, Sucheta Dalal explains what the new portal does, what it doesn't do, and why claimants and legal heirs continue to face a fragmented and document-heavy process despite recent reforms by RBI, SEBI, IRDAI and IEPFA.The portal is a positive first step. However, the real objective remains the creation of a searchable, integrated database that can help reunite rightful owners with more than ₹2 lakh crore of unclaimed financial assets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June 3, 202613 min

Atmanirbhar India Still Needs Foreign Capital. Here's Why.

India's ambition of becoming a developed economy and sustaining 8% annual growth may depend far more on foreign capital than policymakers admit.In this insightful analysis, Debashis Basu explains why India needs nearly US$90 billion in net foreign capital every year to bridge its investment gap, support economic growth and avoid periodic currency crises. He examines the sharp fall in the rupee, the widening current-account deficit, weak FDI inflows, foreign portfolio outflows and policy decisions that may have discouraged capital from entering India.Why is India running deficits in both its current and capital accounts? Why has the rupee weakened so sharply? And can the dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat be achieved without attracting significantly more foreign investment?Watch this video to understand the economic realities behind India's growth ambitions and the challenges policymakers must address. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 28, 202615 min

Cockroach Janata Party: Meme Revolution or Political Earthquake?

What happens when a generation frustrated by unemployment, exam paper leaks, political hypocrisy, and elite arrogance turns satire into a movement?In this sharp analysis, veteran journalist Sucheta Dalal examines the explosive rise of the “Cockroach Janata Party” (CJP) — a viral digital movement born after controversial remarks by India’s Chief Justice triggered massive outrage online.What began as a satirical meme campaign quickly transformed into a 20-million-strong phenomenon fuelled by Gen Z anger over NEET paper leaks, joblessness, corruption, media capture, and growing inequality.But can viral outrage translate into lasting political change? Or will the movement fade like many protest waves before it?The article draws parallels with movements like India Against Corruption, Sri Lanka’s Aragalaya, Bangladesh student protests, Occupy Wall Street, and even Volodymyr Zelensky’s anti-establishment rise in Ukraine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 21, 202620 min

Debt Traps on Your Phone: The Dark Side of Loan Apps

Digital lending apps promised instant loans and financial convenience. Instead, many borrowers are falling into devastating debt traps.In this audio, Sucheta Dalal explains how app-based lenders are charging exorbitant interest rates, trapping borrowers in endless EMIs and using aggressive recovery tactics. From hidden charges and misleading APR disclosures to harassment, blackmail and regulatory loopholes, the crisis is growing rapidly across India.The cases highlighted by Moneylife Foundation reveal how ordinary salaried workers, professionals and delivery executives are drowning in debt far beyond their repayment capacity.Watch this detailed analysis on India’s digital lending crisis, RBI regulations, NBFC partnerships and the urgent need for stronger enforcement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 20, 20267 min

Bonds, Barrels and Bulls

What happens when soaring US bond yields, rising oil prices and a weakening rupee collide? In this sharp analysis, Debashis Basu explains why global events—from the closure of the Hormuz Strait to rising US Treasury yields—could create serious economic pressure for India.The audio breaks down how expensive crude oil, inflation, currency depreciation and rising bond yields are interconnected, why the rupee is nearing the ₹100 mark against the dollar, and what this means for Indian markets, investors and the broader economy.From retail euphoria in microcaps to warning signals flashing across bond markets, this is a timely look at the risks building beneath the surface of India’s growth story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 13, 202613 min

28 Years On: Harshad Mehta’s Comeback Case Still Haunts India

Nearly three decades after Harshad Mehta’s attempted market comeback in 1998, a special SEBI court in Mumbai has convicted the Doshi brothers and several companies linked to the so-called “Damayanti Group” for failing to comply with SEBI summons.But the bigger story is not just about the conviction — it is about India’s painfully slow judicial system, where cases continue for decades even after the main accused is no more.In this audio, Sucheta Dalal explains:• How Harshad Mehta allegedly used front companies to ramp up shares of BPL, Videocon and Sterlite• The infamous 1998 market manipulation episode and BSE bailout controversy• Why SEBI’s detailed investigation eventually collapsed at the appellate stage• How corporate groups and enablers escaped accountability• Why the Damayanti case still matters today• What this means for modern investigations like the Jane Street probeThe case is a stark reminder that regulatory action means little without swift and final justice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 7, 202617 min

Dalmia Bharat: ₹350 Cr Fraud Claim That Backfired

A ₹350-crore fraud complaint filed in the aftermath of the Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services crisis has taken a dramatic turn. A detailed investigation by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office now concludes that the original allegations were false—pointing instead to unlawful gains, fabricated records, and regulatory lapses involving the Dalmia Bharat Group.This audio breaks down the key findings of the SFIO report, including alleged misuse of securities, fake profit entries, market manipulation, and the broader implications for regulatory accountability. It also examines how enforcement delays and institutional inertia allow such cases to drag on for years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 6, 202610 min

China: FDI Caution but Huge Import Dependence

India may be loosening FDI rules for neighbouring countries, but the bigger story lies elsewhere. In this analysis, Debashis Basu explains why Chinese investment in India remains negligible—while India’s dependence on Chinese imports continues to deepen.Despite policy tweaks like Press Note 3 relaxations, China sees India less as an investment destination and more as a massive export market. The numbers reveal a stark imbalance: soaring imports of critical goods—from electronics to machinery—against minimal exports.Meanwhile, China is strategically deploying capital across Southeast Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Africa—building manufacturing ecosystems and extending its global industrial dominance.So what is India missing? The answer lies in policy clarity, industrial strategy, and learning from China’s own playbook—where foreign investment was used as a tool for technological and manufacturing transformation.Is India ready to prioritise production and competitiveness over policy ambiguity? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April 30, 202614 min

Aides in Jail, Appeal to FM: What Next for Anil Ambani?

The arrest of two of Anil Ambani’s closest aides has sharply escalated the multi-agency probe into an alleged ₹40,000-crore banking fraud and money-laundering case linked to the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG).Just weeks before the arrests, Ambani had written to Nirmala Sitharaman seeking a one-time settlement and structured repayment plan, invoking past precedents. But the government appears unconvinced, with enforcement agencies tightening the screws.With assets worth over ₹17,000 crore already attached and investigations spanning multiple agencies including Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation, the case raises critical questions: Will insiders turn approvers? Can investigators trace complex fund diversion across shell entities and offshore jurisdictions? And most importantly—will lenders and investors recover any meaningful value?As the once-sprawling ADAG empire lies dismantled, this case may become a defining test of India’s enforcement system—and whether large-scale financial wrongdoing finally sees accountability. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.