Practice Area · 03

Statutory & Tax Audits.

An audit desk that has led the valuation workstream on a ₹30,000-crore investment portfolio — alongside statutory and tax audits for unlisted entities and the public sector.

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Overview

Attestation with the rigour of a markets practitioner.

An audit opinion is, ultimately, a question of evidence: did the financial statements present a true and fair view, given what could be tested? My approach is to test rigorously where it matters — high-risk balances, judgmental valuations, related-party flows — and to clear lower-risk areas efficiently so the engagement does not become a distraction for the client's team.

The cross-training in markets and derivatives shows up most directly in the portfolio-valuation work. Marking equity, debt, and derivatives positions to model — and forming a view on whether management's valuations are reasonable — sits at the intersection of audit and capital-markets expertise.

Statutory audits

Annual statutory audits for unlisted companies under the Companies Act 2013. Coverage includes internal financial controls (IFC) reporting and CARO 2020 disclosures. Engagement planning, walkthroughs, substantive testing, and the signed audit report — delivered against agreed deadlines.

Tax audits

Form 3CA / 3CB-3CD reporting under Section 44AB of the Income-tax Act, 1961 — re-numbered as Section 63 under the Income-tax Act, 2025 (effective for tax year 2026-27 onwards). The 3CD especially has become a substantial document post the recent amendments — disallowances, ICDS reconciliation, transfer-pricing flags, and TDS coverage are now scrutinised line-by-line by faceless assessing officers.

Internal audit & process review

Internal audit engagements under Section 138 of the Companies Act, 2013 — for institutional and public-sector clients, including large group-insurance funds and trusts. Risk-based audit planning, process walkthroughs, and management-letter recommendations that are actionable rather than generic.

Portfolio & investment valuation

Independent valuation of equity, debt, derivatives, and interest-rate swap (IRS) positions — including illiquid and unquoted holdings. Led the valuation workstream on a statutory audit of an investment portfolio in excess of ₹30,000 crore.

Specialty audits

Charitable trust audits (Form 10B / 10BB) for entities registered under Sections 12A / 80G of the 1961 Act (corresponding to Sections 332 / 354 of the Income-tax Act, 2025), under the post-2023 reporting framework. CSR project audits per the 2021 Companies Act amendments to Section 135. MAT audit reporting (Form 29B) under Section 115JB of the 1961 Act (Section 206 of the 2025 Act) for entities under the minimum-alternate-tax regime.

What's included
  • Statutory audits — unlisted entities
  • Internal Financial Controls (IFC) reporting
  • CARO 2020 disclosures
  • Tax audits — Form 3CA/3CB-3CD (Section 44AB / Section 63 of 2025 Act)
  • Internal audit (Section 138, Companies Act)
  • Internal audit for institutional & PSU clients
  • Process audits & walkthrough documentation
  • CSR project audits
  • Charitable trust audits — Form 10B/10BB (12A/80G & Sections 332/354 of 2025 Act)
  • MAT audit reporting — Form 29B (Section 115JB / Section 206 of 2025 Act)
  • Portfolio valuation — equity, debt, derivatives, IRS
  • Portfolio-valuation lead engagements at scale
Frequently Asked

Practical questions, candid answers.

What's the difference between a statutory audit and a tax audit?

A statutory audit under the Companies Act, 2013 is the annual attestation of the financial statements — it speaks to true and fair view, materiality, and going concern. A tax audit under Section 44AB of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (Section 63 of the Income-tax Act, 2025) is a separate report (Form 3CA/3CB-3CD) addressed to the Income Tax Department, focused on tax-relevant disclosures.

The two often share working papers but the standards, opinions, and reporting are distinct. Both are typically appointed in parallel for entities meeting the turnover thresholds. My statutory-audit practice is currently focused on unlisted entities.

Do you audit charitable trusts (Section 12A / 80G)?

Yes — including Form 10B / 10BB filings for trusts and institutions registered under Section 12A of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (Section 332 of the Income-tax Act, 2025).

The post-2023 framework has tightened reporting on accumulation, anonymous donations, and corpus management, and the report has to be carefully tied to the audited accounts. Trusts that have been complacent about reporting can be in for a difficult conversation; the audit is the right moment to fix it.

Can you handle audits of investment portfolios?

Yes. I've led the valuation workstream on a statutory audit of an investment portfolio in excess of ₹30,000 crore — covering equity, debt, derivatives, and interest-rate swaps.

Portfolio valuation sits at the intersection of audit and capital-markets expertise, which is where the CFA training has been directly useful. Marking illiquid and unquoted holdings to model is the typical sticking point.

What is required from a CSR project audit?

Since the 2021 Companies Act amendments, companies meeting the Section 135 thresholds must have CSR project expenditure independently audited.

The scope covers utilisation tracking, ongoing-project accounting, and reporting under Schedule VII. It is a focused engagement, usually completed within 2–3 weeks per project.

When should I appoint an internal auditor?

If you meet the Section 138 thresholds of the Companies Act, 2013 (turnover, borrowings, paid-up capital), internal audit is statutory.

But the better question is whether you want a continuous feedback loop on controls before something breaks. For mid-sized businesses, internal audit and process review typically pays for itself within the first year through working-capital and tax leakage caught early.

Related Practice Areas

Often handled in tandem.

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