Supreme Court direct Govt to constitute Committee to regulate Multi-National Accounting Firms like PWC

Supreme Court direct Govt to constitute Committee to suggest changes in Law to discipline and regulate Multi-National Accounting Firms like PWC.

ABCAUS Case Law Citation:
ABCAUS 2221 (2018) (02) SC

The petitioner had approached the High Court of Karnataka seeking investigation against Multi-National Accounting Firms (MAFs) and Indian Chartered Accountancy Firms (ICAFs) having arrangement with such MAFs for breach of Code of Professional Conduct under the CA Act. Direction was also sought for cancellation of permission granted to them by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

It was alleged that the MAFs are illegally operating in India and providing Accounting, Auditing, Book Keeping and Taxation Services. They are operating with the help of ICAFs illegally. Operations of such entities are, inter alia, in violation of Section 224 of the Companies Act, 1956, Sections 25 and 29 of the CA Act, the Code of Conduct laid down by the ICAI.

The ICAI submitted a status report before the High Court stating that it examined 161 firms in pursuance of report of the Expert Group with regard to alleged violations and some of the cases were referred to the Director (Discipline) for further action. Remaining 10 firms were in the process of being examined.

The High Court observed that in view of the stand of the ICAI, no further action was necessary and disposed of the writ petition.

Multi-National Accounting Firms

The question raised before the Hon’ble Supreme Court was “whether the MAFs are operating in India in violation of law in force in a clandestine manner, and no effective steps are being taken to enforce the said law. If so, what orders are required to be passed to enforce the said law?”

Before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, it was alleged that the PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited (PwCPL) and their network audit firms operating in India, apart from other violations, have indulged in violation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy, Reserve Bank of India Act (RBI)/Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) which requires investigation.

The prayers of the petitioners were as under”

(a) ICAI must take immediate action for deregistration of these firms in terms of their own report of 2011 which they had themselves accepted.

(b) These audit firms ought to be prosecuted for offences under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949.

(c) PwC firms ought to be prosecuted under FEMA, 1999 regarding the payment of Rs.240 crores and Rs.42 crores by the ED.

(d) PwC Kolkata firm and partners need to be prosecuted under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act.

(e) Investigation and action on part of ICAI and Ministry of Corporate Affairs with regard to the falsification of accounts and wrong accounting of the insurance policy of Rs.280 crores that was utilized by PwC Bangalore without paying any premium.

(f) A CBI investigation into the receipt of Rs.240 crores so that the real purpose of such receipts is known and necessary action may be taken.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court after going through facts and lengthy pleadings noted that following was shown:

(i) There is a bar under CA Act to practice as CAs for a company which includes a limited liability common partnership which has company as its partners.

(ii) Code of Conduct for the CAs prohibits fee sharing, advertisements but the MAFs by using international brands and mixing other services with the services to be provided as part of practice of chartered accountancy violate the said Code of Conduct for which there is no regulatory regime as the MAFs do not register themselves with ICAI. Indian firms using similar brand names are registered with the ICAI but the real entities being MAFs, ICAI is unable to take requisite action for violation of Code of Ethics by the MAFs. Thus, revisit of existing legal framework may become necessary so as to have an oversight mechanism to regulate MAFs on the touchstone of Code of Ethics.

(iii) Need for amendment of law to separate regulatory regime for auditing services on the pattern of Sarbanse Oxley Act enacted in US making a foreign public accounting firm preparing audit reports to be accountable to the Public Company Accounting. Similar oversight body may need to be considered in India.

(iv) Section 29 of the CA Act provides that if a specified country, prohibits persons of Indian domicile from becoming members of any institution similar to ICAI or practicing the profession of accountancy or subjects them to unfair discrimination in that country, no subject of any such country shall be entitled to become a member of the Institute or practice the profession of accountancy in India.

(v) FDI Policy and the RBI Guidelines framed under the FEMA prohibit the investment by a person outside India to make investment by way of contribution to the capital of a firm or a proprietary concern without permission of the RBI

(vi) PwC Services BV Netherlands has made investments in Indian firms. According to the petitioners, the investment is also intended to acquire an audit firm through a circuitous route of giving interest free loans and further investments are in the form of grants for enhancement of skills. Profit sharing is in the form of licence fees/network charges. According to the network, the partners are all Indian partners and use of common brand name is only for uniform standard and giving of grants is for maintaining the said standard. There was no investment by an entity outside India. Nor it amounts to profit sharing by the Indian accountancy firms with an entity outside India.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court opined that undisputed fact was that there were remittances from outside India. The same could be termed as investment even though the remittances are claimed to be interest free loans to partners. The amount could also be for taking over an Indian chartered accountancy firm. Relationship of partnership firms, though having Indian partners, operating under a common brand name from same infrastructure, with foreign entity is not ruled out. It is not possible to rule out violation of FDI policies, FEMA Regulations and the CA Act. Thus, appropriate action may have to be taken in pending proceedings or initiated at appropriate forum.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court opined that the investigation so far carried out cannot be held to be complete in all respects. The investigation by income tax authorities is only for assessment of income tax. Action by the ROC also does not cover the issue raised herein. The investigation by the ED is said to be still pending, though several persons are said to have been examined and documents collected, which are under scrutiny. The said investigation relates to FEMA violations. The ICAI initiated action with regard to foreign remittances and is said to have written a letter to the RBI to enquire whether investigation was conducted by the RBI. However, according to ICAI, its investigation can only be in respect of amenable to its disciplinary jurisdiction in absence of registration. A premier professionals body cannot limit its oversight functions on technicalities and is expected to play proactive role for upholding ethics and values of the profession by going into all connected and incidental issues.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court observed that case is made out for examination not only by ED and further examination by the ICAI but also by the Central Government having regard to the issues of violation of RBI/FDI policies and the CA Act by secret arrangements.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court opined that it can hardly be disputed that profession of auditing is of great importance for the economy. Financial statements audited by qualified auditors are acted upon and failures of the auditors have resulted into scandals in the past. It appears necessary to realise that auditing business is required to be separated from the consultancy business to ensure independence of auditors. The accounting firms could not be left to self regulate themselves.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court clarified that it is for the policy makers to take a call on the issue of extent to which globalization could be allowed in a particular field and conditions subject to which the same can be allowed. Safeguards in the society and economy of the country in the process are of paramount importance. The Court may not involve itself with the policy making but the policy framework can certainly be looked at to find out whether safeguards for enforcement of fundamental rights have been duly maintained.

On the aspect of investment in CA firms, the Hon’ble Supreme Court opined that investment in CA firms, in violation of prohibition of FDI policy, by using a circuitous route of interest free loans to partners. The fact that the income tax authorities have taken the grants received as revenue receipts and taxed the same as such is not conclusive to hold that the receipt is not an investment which is impermissible. If investment is not permitted, the policy of law cannot be defeated by terming such investment as grant for quality control specially when the grant has been used to acquire a chartered accountancy firm

The Hon’ble Supreme Court opined that absence of revisiting and restructuring oversight mechanism may have an adverse effect on the existing chartered accountancy profession as a whole on the one hand and unchecked auditing bodies can adversely affect the economy of the country on the other. Moreover, companies doing chartered accountancy business will not have personal or individual accountability which is required. Persons who are the face may be insignificant and real owners or beneficiary of prohibited activity may go scot free.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court issued the following directions:

(i) The Union of India may constitute a three member Committee of experts to look into the question whether and to what extent the statutory framework to enforce the letter and spirit of Sections 25 and 29 of the CA Act and the statutory Code of Conduct for the CAs requires revisit so as to appropriately discipline and regulate MAFs. The Committee may also consider the need for an appropriate legislation on the pattern of Sarbanes Oxley Act, 2002 and Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, 2010 in US or any other appropriate mechanism for oversight of profession of the auditors. Question whether on account of conflict of interest of auditors with consultants, the auditors’ profession may need an exclusive oversight body may be examined. The Committee may examine the Study Group and the Expert Group Reports referred to above, apart from any other material. It may also consider steps for effective enforcement of the provisions of the FDI policy and the FEMA Regulations referred to above. It may identify the remedial measures which may then be considered by appropriate authorities. The Committee may call for suggestions from all concerned. Such Committee may be constituted within two months. Report of the Committee may be submitted within three months thereafter. The UOI may take further action after due consideration of such report.

(ii) The ED may complete the pending investigation within three months;

(iiI) ICAI may further examine all the related issues at appropriate level as far as possible within three months and take such further steps as may be considered necessary.

Supreme Court direct Govt to constitute Committee to regulate Multi-National Accounting Firms

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