Former QuantLase CEO agrees to settle insider trading case with Sebi, pays ₹1 crore in settlement

Ajay Bhatia, the former CEO of QuantLase Lab LLC, has reached a settlement with Sebi in an insider trading case, agreeing to pay ₹1 crore. As part of the settlement, Bhatia will be excluded from the securities market voluntarily for six months and will need to reimburse ₹55.3 lakhs along with accrued interest. The case involves the issuance of over two crore shares to IHC and the subsequent disclosure of the transaction to stock exchanges on April 8, 2022.

In a show of confidence in their financial stability and strategic undertakings, three prominent tech companies—Dropbox (NASDAQ: DBX), Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX), and Salesforce (NYSE: CRM)—have recently unveiled significant buyback programs. These initiatives not only demonstrate management’s positivity but also position these companies to possibly enhance essential metrics like earnings per share (EPS).

Dropbox, a mid-sized company worth approximately $8.3 billion in market capitalization, has sanctioned a new $1.5 billion share repurchase program. This represents a notable 18% of its market cap. The firm has been expanding its AI-powered platform, Dash, which has contributed to recent share price growth. Since April 2021, Dropbox has reduced its outstanding share count by about 35%, showcasing a continuous dedication to shareholder value.

Nutanix, a large-cap tech entity valued at around $21.2 billion, has raised its share buyback authorization by $350 million, leading to a total of $461 million. Despite this amount being only 2.2% of its market capitalization, it is crucial for managing dilution. Nutanix has observed a decrease in share count growth, with an increase of less than 1% in 2025, and its free cash flow is on an upward trajectory, implying potential future reductions in share count.

Salesforce, a massive tech behemoth with a market capitalization of about $231 billion, has bolstered its share repurchase authorization by $20 billion, resulting in a total of $50 billion. This significant buyback capacity accounts for 11.1% of its market capitalization. Since November 2022, Salesforce has diminished its outstanding share count by roughly 4.7% and continues to allocate around $2 billion per quarter towards buybacks, showcasing a firm commitment to delivering returns to shareholders.

In summary, these buyback declarations highlight the confidence these tech companies have in their future outlook. By diminishing their outstanding share counts, these firms aspire to elevate EPS, which commonly corresponds with an increase in share prices. While each company possesses distinct motives and approaches, their collective actions send a favorable signal to investors.