**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to Unstarred Question No. 2315 in Lok Sabha on December 15, 2025. The question pertained to shell companies in West Bengal. The answer details the actions taken by the Ministry under the Companies Act, 2013, including striking off non-operational companies.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Definition of "Shell Companies":** The term "Shell Companies" is not defined in the Companies Act, 2013.
* **Strike-Off Provisions:**
* The Ministry conducts strike-off drives under Section 248(1) of the Companies Act, 2013.
* Companies not carrying on business or operations for the two immediately preceding financial years and have not applied for dormant status are subject to strike-off.
* The number of companies struck off in West Bengal under Section 248(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 in the last three years and the current year is as follows:
* 2022-23: 2769
* 2023-24: 0
* 2024-25: 0
* 2025-26 (till November): 0
* Total: 2769
* **Data Verification System:** A real-time data verification system is in place to detect fake or duplicate Director Identification Numbers (DIN).
* **Information Sharing and Investigation:**
* Information on companies involved in suspicious or fraudulent transactions is shared with the Ministry through reports from FIU, CEIB, and SLCC.
* This information is used for inquiry, inspection, and investigation under Sections 206(4), 206(5), and 210 of the Companies Act, 2013.
* Investigations of serious fraud are assigned to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under Section 212 of the Companies Act, 2013.
* Findings from inquiries, inspections, and investigations are shared with Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax (IT) Department, and GST Authorities for further action.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Corporate Affairs**
* **Impact:** Required to carry out strike-off drives, maintain and utilize a data verification system, and share information with other agencies.
* **Action Required:** Continue enforcement activities under the Companies Act, 2013, and coordinate with other agencies.
**Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax (IT) Department, and GST Authorities**
* **Impact:** Receive information from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs regarding potentially fraudulent companies.
* **Action Required:** Take further action against companies and individuals associated with such companies based on the received information.
**Companies Registered in West Bengal**
* **Impact:** Companies not carrying on business or operations for two years and not having dormant status face strike-off.
* **Action Required:** Ensure compliance with the Companies Act, 2013 to avoid strike-off, including maintaining active business operations or applying for dormant status if eligible.
Key Entities Referenced
Companies Act, 2013: The primary legislation governing companies and relevant to the definition and regulation of 'Shell Companies' and the striking off of companies.
Ministry of Corporate Affairs: The central ministry responsible for enforcing the Companies Act, striking off companies, and addressing issues related to shell companies.
Section 248(1) of the Companies Act, 2013: Specific section of the Companies Act authorizing the Ministry to strike off companies not carrying on business or operations.
West Bengal: The state in India where the shell companies under investigation are registered.
Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO): Agency responsible for investigating serious fraud under Section 212 of the Companies Act, 2013.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2315
ANSWERED ON Monday, December 15, 2025
Agrahayana 24, 1947 (Saka)
Shell Companies in West Bengal
2315. Shri Jagannath Sarkar:
Will the Minister of CORPORATE AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the number of shell companies identified, struck off, prosecuted
or placed under enhanced surveillance in West Bengal during the
last three years, along with details of their registered addresses,
directors and nature of violations;
(b) whether the Government has detected clusters of shell entities
operating from identical or high-risk premises in Kolkata, Howrah,
Siliguri and Asansol, including those used for hawala, benami
transactions, GST fraud or bogus share-capital inflations, if so, the
details thereof;
(c) whether a real-time data-verification system is being
strengthened to detect fake directors, forged KYC submissions and
mass DIN misuse originating from the said State, if so, the details
thereof; and
(d) the extent of coordination with ED, SFIO, Income Tax and GST
authorities in cases where shell companies registered in West
Bengal have been linked to money laundering, political funding
irregularities or organised financial fraud?
ANSWER
Minister of State in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs; Minister of
State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
(Shri Harsh Malhotra)
(a) and (b): The term “Shell Companies” has not been defined in the
Companies Act, 2013. However, from time to time, this Ministry
carries out Strike-Off drive under Section 248 (1) of the Companies
Act, 2013 for striking off such companies which are not carrying on
any business or operations for a period of two immediately
preceding financial years and has not made any application within
such period for obtaining the status of a dormant company underSection 455 of the Act or the subscribers to the memorandum have
not paid the subscription which they had undertaken to pay at the
time of incorporation of a company and a declaration to this effect
has not been filed within one hundred and eighty days of its
incorporation under sub-section (1) of section 10A of the Act.
Accordingly, the number of Companies Struck-off under 248(1) of
the Companies Act, 2013 during the last 3 years and the current
year in the state of West Bengal is as under: -
Financial Year Number of Companies Struck-off under
Section 248(1)
2022-23 2769
2023-24 0
2024-25 0
2025-26 (till 0
November)
Total 2769
(c): The necessary validations and real time data verification
system is in place to detect fake or duplicate Director Identification
Numbers (DIN).
(d): Details of Companies observed to be indulging in
suspicious/potentially fraudulent transactions are shared by
Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) reports, CEIB (Central Economic
Intelligence Bureau) references, SLCC (State Level Co-ordination
Committee) with the Ministry which serves as important inputs in
taking up Inquiry/Inspection/Investigation under Sections 206(4),
206(5) and 210 of the Companies Act, 2013 respectively.
Further, in the matter of serious fraud, investigation is assigned to
the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under Section 212 of
the Companies Act, 2013.
The findings of the Inquiry/Inspection/Investigation reports are also
shared with enforcement agencies like Enforcement Directorate
(ED), Income Tax (IT) Department, and GST Authorities as the case
may be, to enable further course of action against such companies
and individuals associated with such companies.
********