High level committee set up to prepare investigation manual for SFIO

The Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) has set up a high level committee for preparation of investigation manual for serious fraud investigation office (SFIO).

This Committee, to be chaired by Injeti Srinivas, Secretary, MCA will have 12 members and devise an all encompassing manual for carrying out effective investigations in tune with the provisions of the relevant Acts, official sources said.

The manual would encompass the standard operating procedures and methodologies for the investigating officers, they said.

The committee has been tasked to prepare the manual within 45 days from the date of its holding first meeting.

Also, the committee has been asked to analyse the investigating procedures followed by other investigating agencies and incorporate the relevant procedures in the manual.

Interestingly, this committee would analyse and specify the applicability of the code of criminal procedure and code of civil procedure to SFIO.

At the first meeting, SFIO is expected to make a presentation to the committee, which comprises among others representatives of Enforcement Directorate, Corporate Affairs Ministry .

The members of this panel include Ajay Bahl, Managing Partner, AZB & Partners, law firm; Ashish Garg, President of Institute of Company Secretaries of India and Balwinder Singh, Special Director Central Bureau of Investigation (Retd) .