SAT quashes SEBI ban on PwC

Mumbai, September 9 

In a major setback to SEBI, SAT today overturned the markets regulator’s order banning Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) from auditing any listed company for two years for its role in the Rs 7,800-crore Satyam scam.

However, Securities Appellate Tribunal or SAT partly allowed disgorgement of the Rs 13-crore fee from the auditor.

Setting aside the ban on PwC, which is one of the big four global accounting firms, SAT said, only the national auditors watchdog ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) can take any action against its members and fraud cannot be proved on the basis of negligence in auditing.

“SEBI has no authority to look into the quality of audit and auditing services. SEBI can only take remedial and preventive action. The direction issued is neither remedial nor preventive. But punitive,” SAT said. — PTI

Satyam scam 

• The scam saw the company Ramalinga Raju-promoted company going belly up in January 2009
• SAT said, only the national auditors watchdog ICAI can take any action against its members and fraud cannot be proved on the basis of negligence in auditing