ICAI seeks info on companies being probed for fraud schemes

To ascertain whether there have been any auditing lapses, accounting watchdogInstitute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has sought information from serious fraud investigation office (SFIO) on more than 50 companies that are being probed for duping investors through fraudulent money pooling schemes.

In the wake of Saradha scam in West Bengal, a special task force of the SFIO has started investigations into the affairs of over 50 companies, including 14 entities of Kolkata-based Saradha group. 

 The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is looking into the issue of Saradha group companies and others that are alleged to have defrauded investors through ponzi schemes.

"We have written to the SFIO since it is already investigating over 50 companies. So we have asked them to share the details with us and as soon as we get the details, definitely we will look into it," ICAI President Subodh Kumar Agrawal told PTI. 

According to him, the institute seeks information on whatever is related to chartered accountant and companies' financial statements. 

"Basically, we look into the financial statements and only from the financial statements we can make out the role of auditors," he noted. 

The government ordered the SFIO probe in April following the multi-crore Saradha scam. 

SFIO has been asked to investigate the affairs of four business groups, including Saradha, which have "raised huge sums of money from the public at large". (PTI)