Companies Act, 1963

Expenses of investigation of company's affairs.

171.—(1) The expenses of and incidental to an investigation by an inspector appointed by the Minister under the foregoing provisions of this Act shall be defrayed in the first instance by the Minister, but the following persons shall, to the extent mentioned, be liable to repay the Minister:

(a) any person who is convicted on a prosecution instituted as a result of the investigation by the Attorney General or who is ordered to pay damages or restore any property in proceedings brought by virtue of subsection (4) of section 170, may, in the same proceedings, be ordered to pay the said expenses to such an extent as may be specified in the order; and

(b) any body corporate in whose name proceedings are brought as aforesaid shall be liable to the amount or value of any sums or property recovered by it as a result of those proceedings; and

(c) unless, as a result of the investigation, a prosecution is instituted by the Attorney General—

(i) any body corporate dealt with by the report, where the inspector was appointed otherwise than at the Minister's own motion, shall be liable, except so far as the Minister otherwise directs; and

(ii) the applicants for the investigation, where the inspector was appointed under section 165, shall be liable to such extent (if any) as the Minister may direct;

and any amount for which a body corporate is liable by virtue of paragraph (b) shall be a first charge on the sums or property mentioned in that paragraph.

(2) The report of an inspector appointed otherwise than at the Minister's own motion may, if he thinks fit, and shall, if the Minister so directs, include a recommendation as to the directions (if any) which the inspector thinks appropriate, in the light of his investigation, to be given under paragraph (c) of subsection (1).

(3) For the purposes of this section, any costs or expenses incurred by the Minister in or in connection with proceedings brought by virtue of subsection (4) of section 170 (including expenses incurred by virtue of subsection (5) thereof) shall be treated as expenses of the investigation giving rise to the proceedings.

(4) Any liability to repay the Minister imposed by paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) shall, subject to satisfaction of the Minister's right to repayment, be a liability also to indemnify all persons against liability under paragraph (c) thereof, and any such liability imposed by the said paragraph (a) shall, subject as aforesaid, be a liability also to indemnify all persons against liability under the said paragraph (b); and any person liable under the said paragraph (a) or the said paragraph (b) or either subparagraph of the said paragraph (c) shall be entitled to contribution from any other person liable under the same paragraph or subparagraph, as the case may be, according to the amount of their respective liabilities thereunder.