Friday, January 9, 2009

Satyam CFO attempts suicide

Srinivas Vadlamani, CFO of Satyam, who is thought to be involved in one of the major IT company's scam, has attempted a suicide in a house in Ameerpet near Hyderabad.

Significantly, in Raju's letter to Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the company's board of directors, the name of CFO is missing from the list of those who were 'unaware of the real situation'.

Meanwhile the Andhra Pradesh state police may register a suicide case today. K. Arvind Rao, Addl DG, (intelligence) declined to comment, when CXOtoday contacted him over phone. "I can't speak on this issue right now," said Arvind.

Srinivas Vadlamani, has been reported 'missing' from his home in Malkajgiri for the last couple of days. However, interim CEO -- Ram Mynampati in a press conference on Thursday said that Vadlamani had put in his papers. The decision on his resignation will be taken in board's meeting to be held tomorrow, the media had been informed.

Source: CXOtoday

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Satyam likely to layoff 10,000 employees in 2009

With a big questions mark on its cash position and a minimum outgo on salary estimated at Rs 500 crore a month, Satyam may lay off over 10,000 employees next month, says a recruitment firm.

"It is most likely that Satyam will cut 10,000 jobs next month as the company is left with no cash to pay the salaries. The current fiasco is likely to put pressure on salaries, which may reduce by 10 per cent due to the surplus of about 20,000 people in the jobs market," Headhunters India CEO Kris Lakshmikanth said.

Satyam interim CEO Ram Mynampati while admitting that the cash position is not encouraging, the company, however, has taken care of salary for December.

Lakshmikanth said till Tuesday evening there were about 7,800 people from Satyam who had posted their resumes on job sites and by Wednesday afternoon, it has gone up to 14,000.

The uncertainty about jobs is killingly painful for the 53,000 employees of Satyam, especially when the industry is going slow on recruitment.

Further, possibility of a takeover too looks distant as the accounting fraud done by the company would make it difficult for any firm to evaluate its correct market value, which is compounding the worries of the employees.

IT-BPO union Unites Professionals general secretary Karthik Shekhar said, "In case of any lay off at Satyam, we may take legal action."

"We have received over 7,000 hits since the news break. Yesterday, in one hour we have seen over 800 hits (no of people visiting the site) from Hyderabad. People have been enquiries on how the union can help them," Shekhar added.

Agencies

Has Satyam duped many US investors?

In separate lawsuits filed in US courts, Satyam Computer has been charged with duping thousands of American investors of billions of dollars by artificially inflating share price.

Demanding trial by jury against Satyam Computer, its chairman Ramalinga Raju, managing director and CEO B Rama Raju, the complainants have said that each of them is "liable as a participant in a fraudulent scheme and course of business that operated as a fraud or deceit..."

The IT firm has also deceived the investing public regarding Satyam's business, its finances and the intrinsic value of shares, leading investors to purchase shares at artificially inflated prices, said the class action suit filed by lawfirm Vianale & Vianale LLP on behalf of shareholders.

Another lawfirm Izard Nobel LLP also filed an identical class action suit on the issue at the US District Court for Southern District of New York.

"A lawsuit seeking class action status has been filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of those who purchased the ADRs of Satyam Computer between January 6, 2004 and January 6, 2009," Izard Nobel LLP said in a statement.

The class action complaint filed by Vianale & Vianale LLP in Manhattan Federal Court said that there are thousands of such shareholders throughout the US who have been affected by "a series of false and misleading statements, containing materially inaccurate financial information about the company, which served to artifically inflate the value of its ADSs.

Trading on Satyam ADRs was suspended yesterday after it plunged by over 90 per cent to 0.85 dollars in pre-market trade in US following Satyam founder and chairman B Ramalinga Raju's confession to a Rs 7,800 crore fraud in the company.

"When the truth was revealed the company's ADSs lost nearly their entire value and investors lost billions of dollars as a result," the suit filed by Vianale said.

The suits also charged Raju and his brother B Rama Raju with having engaged "in such a scheme to inflate the price of Satyam ADSs in order to 1) protect and enhance their executive positions and the substantial compensation and prestige they obtained thereby; and 2) enhance the value of their personal holdings of Satyam stocks."

"I am now prepared to subject myself to the laws of the land and face consequences thereof," Raju said in a letter to the Board of Directors yesterday, while announcing his resignation as chairman.

Agencies

Is Dell likely to cut 1,900 jobs from Ireland?

Dell Inc, the world's No. 2 PC maker, will cut about 1,900 of 3,000 jobs at its manufacturing plant in Limerick in the west of Ireland, Dell said on Thursday.

Dell, which ranks itself as Ireland's largest exporter, largest technology company and second largest company overall, said it would move production of computer systems for customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to its Polish plant and third-party manufacturing partners.

Dell cut more than 8,000 jobs last year and struggled to regain market share it lost to larger rival Hewlett-Packard Co. It also said last year it would outsource more manufacturing to cut costs.

Agencies

Satyam saga developments on Thursday

The developments of the Satyam Saga continues even on Thursday with the following highlights:

* Satyam assures its customers that business is as usual
* Where is Ramalinga Raju, former chairman of Satyam Computers
* Satyam top leaders pledge to stay on
* SAP, Oracle Assure Customer Support
* Foreign Firms Wary as Satyam Trial Looms
* YSR Urges Team to Manage Satyam Affair
* Infosys Will Not Buy Tainted' Satyam

To read the actual statement drafted by Ramalinga Raju of Satyam Computers click on the link below

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/Satyam.pdf

And to follow up on interesting issues like what drove to this extreme situation at Satyam, continue to browse through

http://editor-manu-sharma.blogspot.com/
on a regular basis.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Has Raju left India after admitting of financial irregularities?

Amid speculation over his whereabouts, B Ramalinga Raju, who stepped down as Chairman of Satyam Computer after admitting to financial irregularities, is believed to have left for the US in connection with a court case.

Speculation mounted tonight when a TV channel reported that Raju may have gone to Dubai.

"We have no idea of where Raju is," a Satyam spokesperson told the media over phone when asked if he had left for the US in connection with a case filed by a British Telecom solution firm Upaid.

Raju was also not reachable on his mobile phone despite several attempts, but police sources said that Raju left here for Texas this morning from the Hyderabad Airport.

Earlier in the day, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y V Rajasekhara Reddy had said that he would refer the Satyam matter to CB-CID for investigation.

Upaid had filed a petition in Texas seeking details of the USD 1.6 billion dollars acquisition of two Maytas firms, promoted by Raju's family, before Satyam dumped the deal after attack from investors.

In its petition, Upaid had demanded presence of Raju and senior directors of Satyam for questioning by its lawyers.

Probe into Satyam market operations: SEBI

Startled by the disclosure of fudging of accounts by Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju, market regulator SEBI on Wednesday ordered probe into share market operations and inspection of the IT company.

"SEBI has ordered an investigation into the affairs relating to buying, selling or dealing in the shares of Satyam Computers," it said in a release.

The probe follows a letter written by Raju in which he disclosed that "accounts provided to the stock exchanges were not true".

The investigation, SEBI said, will ascertain whether any provision of the Act or regulation has been violated.

As a first step, SEBI today ordered an investigation into affairs relating to buying, selling or dealing in shares of Satyam to ascertain if any regulatory provision was violated. Besides, it ordered inspection of Satyam Computer (books).

Giving details of the irregularities, Raju said the company's balance sheet as of September 30 carries "inflated (non-existent) cash and bank balances of Rs 5,040 crore (as against Rs 5,361 crore reflected in the books)."

It also carries "an accrued interest of Rs 376 crore which is non-existent, understated liability of Rs 1230 crore on account of funds arranged by me, overstated debtors position of Rs 490 crore (as against Rs 2651 crore in the books."

The USD 2-billion Satyam also reported a revenue of Rs 2700 crore for the September quarter and an operating margin of Rs 649 crore (24 per cent of revenue) as against the actual revenue of Rs 2112 crore and an actual operating margin of Rs 61 crore (3 per cent of revenue).

"This has resulted in artificial cash and bank balances going up Rs 588 crore in Q2 alone," Raju said, adding that the gap in the Balance Sheet has arisen purely on account of inflated profits over a period of last several years.

Satyam, meanwhile, said Board member Ram Mynampati has been appointed interim CEO. "We are obviously shocked.. immediate priorities are to protect interest of shareholders, protect the careers and security of its approximately 53,000 associates..," Satyam said in a statement.

A shocked industry called for deeper regulation. "This fraud on the investors and employees... shows a systemic breakdown in audit and board oversight... questions will need to be asked," FICCI President Rajeev Chandrasekhar said.

FICCI and CII, however, said the Satyam episode should not be seen as a blot on all the Indian firms.

Corporate Affairs Minister Prem Chand Gupta said stern action would be taken under the law.

Agencies

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