Paytm Payments Bank Hit With Penalty of Over Rs. 5 Crore by FIU

India’s Monetary Intelligence Unit (FIU) on Friday imposed a penalty of Rs. 5,49,00,000 ($662,565) on Paytm’s banking arm, Paytm Payments Bank, for violations in reporting unlawful cash routed via its accounts, the nation’s finance ministry stated.

The FIU initiated a overview of Paytm Funds Financial institution after info from regulation enforcement businesses about some entities engaged in unlawful acts, together with organising and facilitating on-line playing, and routing proceeds via the financial institution.

“The cash generated from these unlawful operations, i.e. proceeds of crime, have been routed and channelled via financial institution accounts maintained by these entities with the Paytm Funds Financial institution,” the ministry stated in a press release.

The funds financial institution did not report suspicious transactions and conduct due diligence of those accounts, the FIU’s order stated.

Based mostly on the “voluminous” materials out there on report, it discovered that the costs in opposition to Paytm Funds Financial institution have been substantiated, the ministry added.

The penalty pertains to points inside a enterprise section that was discontinued two years in the past, a spokesperson for Paytm Funds Financial institution stated. The corporate has since enhanced its monitoring programs and reporting mechanisms to the FIU, the spokesperson added.

Earlier in February, the Reserve Financial institution of India (RBI) had requested Paytm Funds Financial institution to wind down operations by March 15 attributable to persistent compliance points and supervisory issues.

Paytm had earlier stated that it acquired notices for info and explanations from the authorities, together with the monetary crime preventing company Enforcement Directorate, and was offering them the identical.

In the meantime, Paytm has minimize some ties with its funds financial institution unit in an try to deal with compliance issues that triggered a meltdown in its shares final month.

Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma owns a 51 p.c stake in Paytm Funds Financial institution, whereas Paytm owns the remaining.

Earlier this week, Sharma stepped down as non-executive chairman and board member of the funds financial institution unit, as a part of a significant overhaul.

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