S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP Resigns as Statutory Auditor of Ramkrishna Forgings' Material Subsidiary
Ramkrishna Forgings Limited disclosed on May 12, 2026, that S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP resigned as statutory auditor of its material subsidiary, Ramkrishna Titagarh Rail Wheels Limited, citing an independence conflict stemming from non-audit services provided to joint venturer Titagarh Rail Systems Limited. The firm had completed the audit for the year ended March 31, 2026, and confirmed no management concerns were raised prior to its resignation.

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Ramkrishna Forgings Limited disclosed on May 12, 2026, that M/s. S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP, Chartered Accountants (Firm Registration No: 301003E/E3000005), have resigned as the statutory auditors of Ramkrishna Titagarh Rail Wheels Limited (RTRWL), a material subsidiary of the Company, with immediate effect from May 12, 2026. The disclosure was made pursuant to Regulation 30 read with Schedule III of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, and in accordance with SEBI Master Circular No. Ho/49/14/14(7)2025-CFD-POD2/I/3762/2026, last updated on January 30, 2026. The intimation was signed by Rajesh Mundhra, Company Secretary & Compliance Officer (ACS 12991), on behalf of Ramkrishna Forgings Limited.
Reason for Resignation
The resignation of S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP stems from an auditor independence conflict related to RTRWL's joint venture structure. As RTRWL has become material to one of its joint venturers, Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), the statutory auditors of TRSL require the auditors of RTRWL to be independent of TRSL for the purpose of reporting on TRSL's Consolidated Financial Statements and placing reliance on RTRWL's audit as component auditors. Since S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP currently provides other non-audit services to TRSL, the firm does not meet this independence requirement, necessitating its resignation as statutory auditor of RTRWL.
The outgoing auditor confirmed that no concerns were raised regarding the management of RTRWL that may have hampered the audit process, and no other reasons beyond those stated in the resignation letter dated May 12, 2026, were cited. Accordingly, no deliberation on the matter was required by the Audit Committee of Ramkrishna Forgings Limited, and the consequent disclosure of the Audit Committee's view was noted as not applicable.
Key Details of the Auditor Resignation
The following table summarises the key particulars of the resignation as disclosed under Regulation 30 of the SEBI Listing Regulations:
| Parameter: | Details |
|---|---|
| Material Subsidiary: | Ramkrishna Titagarh Rail Wheels Limited |
| Statutory Auditor: | S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP, Chartered Accountants |
| Firm Registration No.: | 301003E/E3000005 |
| Date of Original Appointment: | August 30, 2024 |
| Scheduled Term Expiry: | Conclusion of the 5th Annual General Meeting to be held in the year 2028 |
| Date of Resignation (Effective): | May 12, 2026 |
| Last Audit Report Issued: | Financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2026, audit report dated April 30, 2026 |
| Reason for Resignation: | Independence conflict — firm provides non-audit services to TRSL, a joint venturer of RTRWL |
| Concerns on Management: | None |
| Other Relevant Facts: | None |
Audit Status and Compliance
S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP confirmed that it had completed the statutory audit of RTRWL's financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2026, and issued its audit report dated April 30, 2026, prior to the resignation. The firm had not commenced the audit of the Company as at and for the year ended March 31, 2027. In accordance with the Companies Act, 2013, the firm stated it would file a statement in Form ADT-3 in due course and forward a copy to the Company for record.
The resignation letter, along with the annexure containing the required information from the statutory auditor in the format specified under the SEBI Master Circular, was submitted by Abhishek Bansal, Partner (Membership Number: 301191) of S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP, from its Kolkata office. The complete disclosure, including Annexure I (resignation letter) and Annexure II (Regulation 30 details), was filed with both BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited on May 12, 2026.
Historical Stock Returns for Ramkrishna Forgings
| 1 Day | 5 Days | 1 Month | 6 Months | 1 Year | 5 Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -1.25% | -7.73% | +7.72% | +3.84% | -1.55% | +343.10% |
Which audit firm is likely to be appointed as the new statutory auditor of Ramkrishna Titagarh Rail Wheels Limited, and how quickly can RTRWL complete the appointment process to avoid disruptions to its FY2027 audit timeline?
Could the auditor independence conflict signal deeper governance complexities in RTRWL's joint venture structure between Ramkrishna Forgings and Titagarh Rail Systems, and how might this affect future strategic decisions between the two joint venturers?
How might the mid-term auditor resignation at a material subsidiary impact investor confidence in Ramkrishna Forgings Limited's consolidated financial reporting and its credit ratings or borrowing costs?


































