Market Manipulation Exposed: Media, Hedge Funds & Regulators Under Fire

A disturbing pattern of organized manipulation in India’s financial ecosystem is coming to light — where hedge fund operators, media houses, and even regulators appear complicit in misleading the public, especially retail investors.
At the center of this unfolding controversy is a hedge fund manager who, sources confirm, is not being profiled organically but has allegedly paid to promote himself across multiple platforms. This self-styled “expert” is being positioned as a thought leader through what appears to be a coordinated PR campaign disguised as editorial content.
Serious questions are now being raised about Zee Business and its Managing Editor Anil Singhvi. Observers point out the channel’s daily habit of offering stock tips and market “calls” every morning — often through guest appearances whose credibility is now under scrutiny.
“If this isn’t a paid campaign, let Zee TV publicly clarify and provide evidence,” demanded an independent trader’s forum on Wednesday. The same group has also called for a formal apology from the channel for enabling what they term “misguidance of retail investors” through questionable tip-based content.
Jane Street, often hailed as a quantitative trading powerhouse, has repeatedly been accused of exploiting its technological edge and high-frequency trading infrastructure to front-run retail orders. By using sophisticated algorithms and ultra-low latency access, Jane Street can detect large incoming trades and position itself milliseconds ahead—effectively buying before the retail trader and selling back at a marked-up price. This form of legal arbitrage, while technically within the regulatory bounds, amounts to systematic skimming of retail capital, turning everyday investors into easy targets in a game they never signed up to play.
Meanwhile, fingers are being pointed at the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for its delayed response to frauds. Critics argue SEBI often acts only after damage is done, with no mechanism to compensate retail traders who suffer losses due to manipulated information.
“What is the point of regulation if SEBI only appears after the crime? And where do the fines go? Certainly not to the victims,” said a former compliance officer on condition of anonymity.
The growing disillusionment has triggered a call to action: Stop relying on corporate-sponsored advice. Retail investors are urged to build their own market knowledge in real-time and stop trusting institutional narratives blindly.
As the spotlight intensifies, the message is clear: Retail traders are no longer willing to be silent victims in a game where everyone else plays with loaded dice.