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RBI Lifts All Restrictions On Bandhan Bank After Promoter Pares Stake

Earlier this month, the bank’s promoter Bandhan Financial Holdings sold shares worth $1.4 billion or over Rs 10,500 crore.

A branch of Bandhan Bank Ltd. in the Prabhadevi area of Mumbai, India. (Photo: BloombergQuint)
A branch of Bandhan Bank Ltd. in the Prabhadevi area of Mumbai, India. (Photo: BloombergQuint)

Bandhan Bank Ltd. on Monday said the Reserve Bank of India has fully withdrawn the restrictions imposed on the private sector lender for high promoter holding, nearly two years after imposing them.

The restrictions included seeking prior approvals for network expansion, and also freezing managing director and chief executive Chandra Shekhar Ghosh's remuneration.

Earlier this month, the bank's promoter Bandhan Financial Holdings sold shares worth $1.4 billion or over Rs 10,500 crore at a discount to reduce its stake by over 20% to 40%, the level acceptable for the regulator.

In September 2018, the RBI had imposed the restrictions, and did away with the condition of seeking approval for opening banking outlets in February this year.

The RBI, vide its communication dated Aug. 17, 2020 has lifted the other regulatory restriction (on) the remuneration of the MD and CEO of the bank stands frozen, at the existing level, the bank said.

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Bandhan Bank Meets RBI Ownership Norms After Promoter Stake Sale

Consequent to the above, all the regulatory restrictions imposed by the RBI vide letter dated Sept. 19, 2018, on the Bank are now withdrawn, it added.

The bank had merged with mortgage lender HDFC Ltd.'s low-value home loan company Gruh Finance earlier, which had helped reduce the promoter ownership to the 60% level from the earlier 80%.