Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Inspection and Investigation) Regulations

INSOLVENCY AND BANKRUPTCY BOARD OF INDIA (INSPECTION AND INVESTIGATION) REGULATIONS, 2017¹

[AMENDED UPTO 13-08-2024]

No. IBBI/2017-18/GN/REG011 - In exercise of the powers conferred under sections 196, 217, 218, 219, 220 read with section 240 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (31 of 2016), the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India hereby makes the following regulations, namely-

CHAPTER I

PRELIMINARY

1. Short title, commencement and application.

(1) These regulations may be called the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Inspection and Investigation) Regulations, 2017.

(2) These regulations shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

(3) These regulations shall apply to inspection and investigation of service providers.

2. Definitions.

(1) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires –

(a) “associated person” means a proprietor, partner, director, officer, or an employee of a service provider, a professional or a valuer engaged by a service provider or any other person acting for or on behalf of a service provider under inspection or investigation;

(b) “Code” means the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (31 of 2016);

(c) “Disciplinary Committee” means a committee of whole time member(s) constituted by the Board under sub-section (1) of section 220 of the Code: Provided that the whole time member(s) in the Disciplinary Committee shall not be associated with the investigation or inspection;

(d) “electronic form” shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (r) of section 2 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000);

(e) “Investigating Authority” means an officer or a team of officers of the Board, which has been directed by the Board, to conduct the investigation of a service provider;

(f) “Inspecting Authority” means an officer or a team of officers of the Board, which has been directed by the Board, to conduct the inspection of a service provider;

(g) “noticee” means a service provider or an associated person who is alleged to have contravened any provision of the Code, or the rules, regulations or guidelines made thereunder;

(h) “record” means the books of accounts, registers, documents, call records and other records, whether maintained in electronic form or otherwise, of a service provider and its associated person;

(i) “section” means section of the Code; ²[*]

(j) “service provider” means insolvency professional agency, insolvency professional, insolvency professional entity or information utility ³[; and]

⁴[(k) “stakeholder” means a stakeholder as defined in clause (j) of sub-regulation (1) of regulation 2 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure) Regulations, 2017.]

(2) The words and expressions used and not defined in these regulations, but defined in the Code, shall have the same meaning assigned to them in the Code.

CHAPTER II

INSPECTION

3. Inspection by the Board.

(1) The Board shall conduct inspection of such number of service providers every year, as may be decided by the Board from time to time.

(2) Without prejudice to provisions of sub-regulation (1), the Board may conduct inspection of a service provider under section 218.

(3) The Board may, for the purposes of this regulation, by an order, direct an Inspecting Authority to conduct an inspection of records of a service provider for purposes specified under sub-regulation (4).

(4) The purposes under sub-regulation (3) include -

(a) to ensure that the records are being maintained by a service provider in the manner required under the relevant regulations;

(b) to ascertain whether adequate internal control systems, procedures and safeguards have been established and are being followed by a service provider to fulfill its obligations under the relevant regulations;

(c) to ascertain whether any circumstance exists which would render a service provider unfit or ineligible;

(d) to ascertain whether the provisions of the Code, or the rules, regulations and guidelines made thereunder and the directions issued by the Board, if any, are being complied with;

(e) to inquire into the complaints received from ⁵[stakeholders] or any other person on any matter having a bearing on the activities of a service provider; and

(f) such other purpose as may be deemed fit by the Board in furtherance of the objectives of the Code.

(5) The order referred to in sub-regulation (3) shall contain- (a) scope of inspection; (b) composition of Inspecting Authority; (c) timelines for conducting the inspection; (d) reporting of progress in inspection; (e) submission of interim inspection report, if any; and (f) submission of inspection report.

(6) The Board and the Inspecting Authority shall make every effort to keep the inspection confidential and to cause the least burden on, or disruption to, the business of the service provider under inspection.

4. Conduct of Inspection.

(1) The Inspecting Authority shall serve a notice of inspection to the service provider at least 10 days before the commencement of inspection:

Provided that where the Inspecting Authority is satisfied that the notice will cause undue delay in inspection or there is an apprehension that records of the service provider may be destroyed, mutilated, altered, falsified or secreted, after the notice is served, it may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, dispense with such notice.

(2) The Inspecting Authority may require the service provider or an associated person to submit records, as may be required, before the commencement of inspection.

(3) The Inspecting Authority may visit the offices of the service provider for conducting the on-site inspection.

(4) It shall be the duty of the service provider and an associated person to produce before the Inspecting Authority such records in his custody or control and furnish to the Inspecting Authority such statements and information relating to its activities within such time as the Inspecting Authority may require.

(5) The service provider shall allow the Inspecting Authority to have access to the premises occupied by such service provider or by any other person on its behalf and extend facility for examination of any records in the possession of the service provider or any such other person and provide copies of records or other material which in the opinion of the Inspecting Authority are relevant for the inspection.

(6) The Inspecting Authority shall, in the course of inspection, may examine and record statements of any associated person of the service provider in relation to the affairs of his business.

(7) It shall be the duty of the service provider and an associated person to give to the Inspecting Authority all assistance which the Inspecting Authority may reasonably require in connection with the inspection.

5. Interim Inspection Report.

(1) The Inspecting Authority may submit an interim inspection report to the Board, if it considers appropriate, keeping in view the nature and progress of inspection.

(2) The Inspecting Authority shall submit an interim inspection report, if required by the Board.

(3) If the Board is satisfied from the interim inspection report that there is a gross violation of the provisions of the Code, or the rules, regulations made thereunder, by the service provider and an immediate action under sub-section (2) of section 220 is warranted, the Board shall refer the matter to the Disciplinary Committee for an appropriate action.

(4) On consideration of the interim inspection report, the Disciplinary Committee may pass an interim order with appropriate directions to the service provider.