Controversial trader PR Sundar is in news again after details of his firm Mansun Consultancy Private Limited's meteoric growth in the past few years came out in the public domain.
The trading firm, that was incorporated in 2017, recorded net profit of Rs 88.24 lakh in FY18 and it grew to Rs 23.43 crore in FY22, according to data from Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
The surge in profit for Sundar's firm is also reflective of the massive gains amassed by the trader in his personal Future and Options (F&O) transactions. In the same period, his F&O profits have gone from Rs 68.31 lakh in FY18 to Rs 14.06 crore in FY22. This is a 21x surge in a matter of five years.
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The Chennai-based trader, who has a huge following on Twitter and Youtube, has been in news for less reputable matters in the past. Recently, he made some distasteful comments on a Twitter user's daughter during an online feud.
Sundar received much flak for his behaviour and subsequently he apologised as well. He clarified on Twitter that his intention was not to offend anyone. His underlying controversial remark was even dubbed as the most vulgar tweet of the year in Indian Fintwit (Finance Twitter).
An Unregulated Influencer
But it's not an online antic that has brought him under the scanner of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). His firm Mansun has been listed under the Cause List by SEBI for 'unregistered investment advisory.'
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Since Mansun is not registered with the SEBI as an entity providing investment advisory services, any such services they provide or renumeration they receive for said services, is in violation of SEBI regulations.
However, the financial influencer has clarified that this was only a case of unintentional procedural violation. In an interview with Moneycontrol, Sundar said that he had provided research services for a SEBI-registered advisory firm in the past and that the firm paid his regulatory fees directly to Mansun to avoid additional operational costs.
He also added that after receiving an enquiry from the regulator, the operation stopped "then and there."
Although the case of violating SEBI regulations is yet to be resolved, the popular F&O trader has not stopped his online antics that win him both applause and criticism.
His practice of deleting screenshots of his loss-making trades has been called out in the past. In addition to this, he has also been accused of faking screenshots to show false trading gains. This has led to much debate on the need for 3rd party verification when it comes to sharing MTM (mark-to-market) screenshots.
In a more recent incident, when the profit details of Mansun became public, some Twitter users had questioned the legality of Sundar's earnings. In a cheeky reply, the trader said that it's true he has stolen money from other option buyers and market share from other trainers.
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As the popular finfluencer keeps winning big on his trades, there is no doubt that social media will keep having differences of opinion on Sundar's online behaviour.
Keeping the incessant online commentary aside, it won't be surpising if Sundar's and his firm's net worth keeps growing. It seems like the online banter only acts as a catalyst to Sundar's trading gains.
