Article 432 Expenses of investigating a company's affairs

The expenses of an investigation under any of the powers conferred by this Part shall be defrayed in the first instance by the Department but it may recover those expenses from the persons liable in accordance with this Article.

A person who is convicted on a prosecution instituted as a result of the investigation, or is ordered to pay the whole or any part of the costs of proceedings brought under Article 431, may in the same proceedings be ordered to pay those expenses to such extent as may be specified in the order.

A body corporate in whose name proceedings are brought under that Article is liable to the amount or vale of any sums or property recovered by it as a result of those proceedings; and any amount for which a body corporate is liable under this paragraph is a first charge on the sums or property recovered.

A body corporate dealt with by an inspectors' report, where the inspectors were appointed otherwise than of the Department's own motion, is liable except where it was the applicant for the investigation and except so far as the Department otherwise directs.

Where inspectors were appointed—

the applicant or applicants for the investigation is or are liable to such extent (if any) as the Department may direct.

The report of inspectors appointed otherwise than of the Department's own motion may, if they think fit, and shall if the Department so directs, include a recommendation as to the directions (if any) which they think appropriate, in the light of their investigation, to be given under paragraph (4) or (5).

For the purposes of this Article, any costs or expenses incurred by the Department in or in connection with proceedings brought under Article 431 (including expenses incurred under paragraph (2) of it) are to be treated as expenses of the investigation giving rise to the proceedings.

Any liability to repay the Department imposed by paragraphs (2) and (3) is (subject to satisfaction of the Department's right to repayment) a liability also to indemnify all persons against liability under paragraphs (4) and (5); and any such liability imposed by paragraph (2) is (subject as mentioned above) a liability also to indemnify all persons against liability under paragraph (3).

A person liable under any one of paragraphs (2) to (5) is entitled to contribution from any other person liable under the same paragraph, according to the amount of their respective liabilities under it.