The Maharashtra government has empanelled 84 firms, including international entities, to assist the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), the state Crime Investigation Department (CID), and other police units in conducting forensic and digital forensic audits in cases involving financial irregularities. The government has divided these firms into three levels based on the case value: the first level can handle audits in cases involving more than Rs 500 crore, the second level for cases between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore, and the third level for cases involving less than Rs 100 crore.
Key Features of the New Panel
Under the new panel, police investigators will be able to outsource the examination of bank statements, income tax returns, property records, spot panchnamas, seized office documents, hard disk data, and other digital evidence to specialised firms. The empanelment will remain valid for three years. The term of the existing panel ended in March.
Government Resolution Details
According to a Government Resolution (GR) issued on Thursday, the state decided to create the new panel in view of the growing need for experienced and specialised institutions to support complex financial investigations. An evaluation committee scrutinised applications received through an Expression of Interest process and recommended the final list of eligible firms.
Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest
The empanelled firms will be required to sign strict confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements and comply with secrecy provisions under the Official Secrets Act. They must also submit declarations confirming that they have no conflict of interest in the assignments given to them.
Assignment Timelines and Limits
Each assignment is expected to be completed within three to six months, with extensions of up to two months permitted for recorded reasons. No empanelled firm can have more than three police assignments pending at any given time.
Approval Process
The GR authorises the director general of police and officers of the rank of Additional Director General of Police to award work to the lowest bidder after defining the scope of work. If the size or complexity of a case increases, investigators may replace the appointed firm with another institution of a higher category or greater expertise.
Investigating Officer's Role
If the investigating officer determines that a forensic audit or digital forensic audit is necessary for the investigation, the officer shall prepare a detailed scope of work and obtain financial quotations from empanelled audit firms in the relevant category. The investigating officer shall prepare a comprehensive proposal and, through the unit head, obtain approval from the competent authority for appointment of the audit firm.
