Mumbai, Aug 10 (PTI) France's biggest bank BNP Paribas, which has triggered a sharp plunge in the Indian and other global equity markets in the past two days, today purchased shares worth Rs 20.46 crore in a single company here in India.

BNP Paribas Arbitrage, a foreign fund promoted by the French banking giant, acquired 1.65 lakh equity shares in Northgate Technologies at a price of Rs 1,240 per share in a bulk deal at the Bombay Stock Exchange.

The BSE Sensex have witnessed a plunge of 440 points in the past two days, while the stock markets in the US and Europe have also seen sharp decline in the two days, primarily on fresh sub-prime concerns triggered by BNP Paribas' move yesterday to suspend withdrawals from three mutual funds.

It has frozen withdrawals from three of its mutual funds with assets worth 2.2 billion dollars due to their exposure to the US sub-prime market.

The shares in Northgate were sold by another overseas fund HSBC Financial Services Mid-East Ltd at a price of Rs 1,240, the stock's intraday-low for the day.

Northgate shares dropped 1.12 per cent to close at Rs 1,272, after hitting a high of Rs 1,300.