(1) The Central Government shall appoint one or more competent persons as inspectors to investigate the affairs of a limited liability partnership and to report thereon in such manner as it may direct if—
(a) the Tribunal, either suo motu, or on an application received from not less than one-fifth of the total number of partners of limited liability partnership, by order, declares that the affairs of the limited liability partnership ought to be investigated; or
(b) any Court, by order, declares that the affairs of a limited liability partnership ought to be investigated.
(2) The Central Government may appoint one or more competent persons as inspectors to investigate the affairs of a limited liability partnership and to report on them in such manner as it may direct.
(3) The appointment of inspectors pursuant to sub-section (2) may be made,—
(a) if not less than one-fifth of the total number of partners of the limited liability partnership make an application along with supporting evidence and security amount as may be prescribed; or
(b) if the limited liability partnership makes an application that the affairs of the limited liability partnership ought to be investigated; or
(c) if, in the opinion of the Central Government, there are circumstances suggesting—
(i) that the business of the limited liability partnership is being or has been conducted with an intent to defraud its creditors, partners or any other person, or otherwise for a fraudulent or unlawful purpose, or in a manner oppressive or unfairly prejudicial to some or any of its partners, or that the limited liability partnership was formed for any fraudulent or unlawful purpose; or
(ii) that the affairs of the limited liability partnership are not being conducted in accordance with the provisions of this Act; or
(iii) that, on receipt of a report of the Registrar or any other investigating or regulatory agency, there are sufficient reasons that the affairs of the limited liability partnership ought to be investigated.
An application by partners of the limited liability partnership under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 43 shall be supported by such evidence as the Tribunal may require for the purpose of showing that the applicants have good reason for requiring the investigation and the Central Government may, before appointing an inspector, require the applicants to give security, of such amount as may be prescribed, for payment of costs of the investigation.
No firm, body corporate or other association shall be appointed as an inspector.
(1) If an inspector appointed by the Central Government to investigate the affairs of a limited liability partnership thinks it necessary for the purposes of his investigation to investigate also the affairs of an entity which has been associated in the past or is presently associated with the limited liability partnership or any present or former partner or designated partner of the limited liability partnership, the inspector shall have the power to do so and shall report on the affairs of the other entity or partner or designated partner, so far as he thinks that the results of his investigation thereof are relevant to the investigation of the affairs of the limited liability partnership. .
(2) In the case of any entity or partner or designated partner referred to in sub-section (1), the inspector shall not exercise his power of investigating into, and reporting on, its or his affairs without obtaining the prior approval of the Central Government thereto:
Provided that before according approval under this sub-section, the Central Government shall give the entity or partner or designated partner a reasonable opportunity to show cause why such approval should not be accorded.
(1) It shall be the duty of the designated partner and partners of the limited liability partnership—
(a) to preserve and to produce before an inspector or any person authorised by him in this behalf with the previous approval of the Central Government, all books and papers of, or relating to, the limited liability partnership or, as the case may be, the other entity, which are in their custody or power; and
(b) otherwise to give to the inspector all assistance in connection with the investigation which they are reasonably able to give.
(2) The inspector may, with the previous approval of the Central Government, require any entity other than an entity referred to in sub-section (1) to furnish such information to, or produce such books and papers before him or any person authorised by him in this behalf, with the previous approval of that Government, as he may consider necessary, if the furnishing of such information or the production of such books and papers is relevant or necessary for the purposes of his investigation.
(3) The inspector may keep in his custody any books and papers produced under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) for thirty days and thereafter shall return the same to the limited liability partnership, other entity or individual by whom or on whose behalf the books and papers are produced:
Provided that the inspector may call for the books and papers if they are needed again:
Provided further that if certified copies of the books and papers produced under sub-section (2) are furnished to the inspector, he shall return those books and papers to the entity or person concerned.
(4) An inspector may examine on oath—
(a) any of the persons referred to in sub-section (1);
(b) with the previous approval of the Central Government, any other person in relation to the affairs of the limited liability partnership or any other entity, as the case may be; and
(c) may administer an oath accordingly and for that purpose may require any of those persons to appear before him personally.
(5) If any person fails without reasonable cause or refuses—
(a) to produce before an inspector or any person authorised by him in this behalf with the previous approval of the Central Government any book or paper which it is his duty under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) to produce; or
(b) to furnish any information which is his duty under sub-section (2) to furnish; or
(c) to appear before the inspector personally when required to do so under sub-section (4) or to answer any question which is put to him by the inspector in pursuance of that sub-section; or
(d) to sign the notes of any examination, he shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than two thousand rupees but which may extend to twenty-five thousand rupees and with a further fine which shall not be less than fifty rupees but which may extend to five hundred rupees for every day after the first day after which the default continues.
(6) The notes of any examination under sub-section (4) shall be taken down in writing and signed by the person whose examination was made on oath and a copy of such notes shall be given to the person so examined on oath and thereafter be used as an evidence by the inspector.
(1) Where in the course of investigation, the inspector has reasonable ground to believe that the books and papers of, or relating to, the limited liability partnership or other entity or partner or designated partner of such limited liability partnership may be destroyed, mutilated, altered, falsified or secreted, the inspector may make an application to the Judicial Magistrate of the first class, or, as the case may be, the Metropolitan Magistrate, having jurisdiction, for an order for the seizure of such books and papers.
(2) After considering the application and hearing the inspector, if necessary, the Magistrate may, by order, authorise the inspector—
(a) to enter, with such assistance, as may be required, the place or places where such books and papers are kept;
(b) to search that place or those places in the manner specified in the order; and
(c) to seize books and papers which the inspector considers it necessary for the purposes of his investigation.
(3) The inspector shall keep in his custody the books and papers seized under this section for such period not later than the conclusion of the investigation as he considers necessary and thereafter shall return the same to the concerned entity or person from whose custody or power they were seized and inform the Magistrate of such return:
Provided that the books and papers shall not be kept seized for a continuous period of more than six months:
Provided further that the inspector may, before returning such books and papers as aforesaid, place identification marks on them or any part thereof.
(4) Save as otherwise provided in this section, every search or seizure made under this section shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) relating to searches or seizures made under that Code.
(1) The Inspector may, and if so directed by the Central Government, shall make interim reports to that Government, and on the conclusion of the investigation, shall make a final report to the Central Government and any such report shall be written or printed, as the Central Government may direct.
(2) The Central Government—
(a) shall forward a copy of any report (other than an interim report) made by the inspectors to the limited liability partnership at its registered office, and also to any other entity or person dealt with or related to the report; and
(b) may, if it thinks fit, furnish a copy thereof, on request and on payment of the prescribed fee, to any person or entity related to or affected by the report.
If, from the report under section 49, it appears to the Central Government that any person in relation to the limited liability partnership or in relation to any other entity whose affairs have been investigated, has been guilty of any offence for which he is liable, the Central Government may prosecute such person for the offence; and it shall be the duty of all partners, designated partners and other employees and agents of the limited liability partnership or other entity, as the case may be, to give the Central Government all assistance in connection with the prosecution which they are reasonably able to give.
If any such limited liability partnership is liable to be wound up under this Act or any other law for the time being in force, and it appears to the Central Government from any such report under section 49 that it is expedient to do so by reason of any such circumstances as are referred to in sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) of clause (c) of sub-section (3) of section 43, the Central Government may, unless the limited liability partnership is already being wound up by the Tribunal, cause to be presented to the Tribunal by any person authorised by the Central Government in this behalf, a petition for the winding up of the limited liability partnership on the ground that it is just and equitable that it should be wound up.
If, from any report under section 49, it appears to the Central Government that proceedings ought, in the public interest, to be brought by the limited liability partnership or any entity whose affairs have been investigated,—
(a) for the recovery of damages in respect of any fraud, misfeasance or other misconduct in connection with the promotion or formation, or the management of the affairs, of such limited liability partnership or such other entity; or
(b) for the recovery of any property of such limited liability partnership or such other entity, which has been misapplied or wrongfully retained, the Central Government may itself bring proceedings for that purpose.
(1) The expenses of, and incidental to, an investigation by an inspector appointed by the Central Government under this Act shall be defrayed in the first instance by the Central Government; but the following persons shall, to the extent mentioned below, be liable to reimburse the Central Government in respect of such expenses, namely:—
(a) any person who is convicted on a prosecution, or who is ordered to pay damages or restore any property in proceedings brought by virtue of section 52, may, in the same proceedings, be ordered to pay the said expenses to such extent as may be specified by the court convicting such person, or ordering him to pay such damages or restore such property, as the case may be;
(b) any entity in whose name proceedings are brought as aforesaid shall be liable, to the extent of the amount or value of any sums or property recovered by it as a result of the proceedings; and
(c) unless, as a result of the investigation, a prosecution is instituted in pursuance of section 50,—
(i) any entity, a partner or designated partner or any other person dealt with by the report of the inspector shall be liable to reimburse the Central Government in respect of the whole of the expenses, unless and except in so far as, the Central Government otherwise directs; and
(ii) the applicants for the investigation, where the inspector was appointed in pursuance of the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 43, shall be liable to such extent, if any, as the Central Government may direct.
(2) Any amount for which a limited liability partnership or other entity is liable by virtue of clause (b) of sub-section (1) shall be a first charge on the sums or property mentioned in that clause.
(3) The amount of expenses in respect of which any limited liability partnership, other entity, a partner or designated partner or any other person is liable under sub-clause (i) of clause (c) of sub-section (1) to reimburse the Central Government shall be recoverable as arrears of land revenue.
(4) For the purposes of this section, any costs or expenses incurred by the Central Government or in connection with the proceedings brought by virtue of section 52 shall be treated as expenses of the investigation giving rise to the proceedings.
A copy of any report of any inspector or inspectors appointed under the provisions of this Act, authenticated in such manner, if any, as may be prescribed, shall be admissible in any legal proceeding as evidence in relation to any matter contained in the report.
