How to check who owns a company in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh
A practical guide to company registries in India (MCA), Pakistan (SECP) and Bangladesh (RJSC): what filings show, ownership gaps and avoiding false links.
Published 18 October 2026, Records
Why ownership matters
Many accountability stories turn on one question: who really stands behind a company? A contractor that wins a large public tender, a firm that receives land at a low price, or a supplier to a hospital or a defence establishment may be linked to an official, a relative or a retired officer. Company records are one of the few public tools for testing that kind of claim.
Ownership records do not prove wrongdoing. Owning a company is lawful. What matters is whether a link creates an undisclosed conflict of interest, breaks a procurement rule or explains a pattern in public spending. Records help you ask the right question. They rarely answer it alone. For how ownership fits into wider tracing of public money, see the money trail.
India: the Ministry of Corporate Affairs portal
Companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) in India are registered with the Registrar of Companies under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). The MCA portal offers three useful layers.
- Company or LLP master data. A free basic profile: corporate identification number, status (active, struck off and so on), date of incorporation, registered address, authorised and paid-up capital, the dates of the last annual general meeting and balance sheet, current directors and registered charges (secured loans). You may be asked to create a free account.
- Director master data. Each director has a Director Identification Number (DIN). Searching a DIN lists the companies and LLPs linked to that person. This is often the fastest way to see a director's wider network.
- View public documents. A paid service, for registered users, that opens a company's filed documents: annual returns, financial statements, incorporation papers and changes in directors or shareholding. A small fee is charged per company; check the current fee on the portal. Access is time-limited, so download what you need in one session.
India also has a beneficial ownership regime. Under section 90 of the Companies Act, 2013 and the Companies (Significant Beneficial Owners) Rules, 2018, an individual who holds at least 10 per cent of a company's beneficial interest, directly or indirectly, without being on the register of members, must declare this to the company. The company then files Form BEN-2 with the registrar. These filings are only as good as the honesty of the people making them.
Pakistan: SECP
Companies in Pakistan are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) under the Companies Act, 2017. SECP's eServices portal handles company registration and filings. Basic company details, such as name, registration number, company type, date of incorporation and status, can be searched. Copies of filed documents, including annual returns that list members and forms that record changes in directors, can be requested from SECP, usually for a fee. Check current access routes and fees on SECP's own site, as the portal has changed more than once.
Companies must also file a declaration of ultimate beneficial ownership (Form 45) under section 123A of the Companies Act, 2017. SECP moved this form onto eServices in 2021. We could not confirm that individual declarations are open to public search. Treat them as information held by the regulator unless the portal shows otherwise.
Bangladesh: RJSC
Companies in Bangladesh are registered with the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) under the Companies Act, 1994. RJSC runs an online system for name clearance, registration and returns. A basic search of registered entities shows details such as name, registration number and type. Certified copies of filed documents, such as the memorandum and articles of association, annual returns and particulars of directors, can be applied for, usually for a fee.
Bangladesh did not have a public central register of beneficial owners when we reviewed this guide. A draft amendment to the Companies Act, reported in August 2026, proposes a declaration where a registered shareholder is not the real owner. Check whether it has been enacted. Separately, the Public Procurement Rules, 2025 require a contract signing report that discloses the beneficial ownership of the winning supplier. See how to search public tenders.
At a glance
| Country | Registry | Free search | Filed documents | Beneficial ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Ministry of Corporate Affairs (Registrar of Companies) | Company/LLP master data; director data by DIN | Paid “view public documents” with login | Significant beneficial owner declarations (10% threshold); Form BEN-2 filed with registrar |
| Pakistan | SECP | Basic company search | Copies of filings on request, usually for a fee | Form 45 declaration under section 123A; public access not confirmed |
| Bangladesh | RJSC | Basic registered-entity search | Certified copies on application, usually for a fee | No public central register at review; amendment in draft; disclosure required for procurement contracts |
What filings show, and what they don't
Filings show the names on paper: directors, registered shareholders, addresses, capital, charges and changes over time. They do not always show who controls a company. Common gaps include:
- Nominees. A shareholder or director may hold the role on behalf of someone else. Nothing on the form will say so.
- Layered ownership. Shares may be held by another company, sometimes registered abroad. You then have to trace that company too, and foreign registries may be closed.
- Out-of-date data. Late or missing filings are common. The latest annual return may be years old.
- Thin beneficial ownership data. Declarations depend on people declaring honestly. A missing declaration is a question, not an answer.
A method for mapping ownership
- Start with the exact registered name and registration number. Avoid working from trade names or letterheads.
- Download the basic profile and note the date you accessed it. Save a copy.
- List directors and shareholders with every identifier the filing gives: DIN, address, father's name, date of appointment.
- Look up each director's other companies. Look for shared addresses, shared directors and companies formed at the same time.
- Where a shareholder is a company, repeat the process for that company.
- Draw the structure as a simple diagram, marking which links are documented and which are only suspected.
- Compare dates. Did a director join just before a contract was won, or leave just after?
- Put your findings to the people named before publication. See our right of response policy.
Avoiding false links
The same name is not the same person. Names repeat widely across South Asia, and transliteration varies. Before you link two records, match at least two independent identifiers, such as a DIN, a full address, a father's name or a photograph from an official filing. If you cannot, say the link is unconfirmed or leave it out. A wrong link can damage an innocent person and the credibility of the whole story. Our editorial standards explain how we handle this.
Do
- Save dated copies of every record you rely on.
- Match identifiers, not just names.
- Record which links are documented and which are inferred.
- Check for later filings that change the picture.
- Ask the company and the people named for their response.
Don't
- Treat ownership as evidence of wrongdoing on its own.
- Assume a nominee or registered shareholder is the real owner.
- Publish home addresses or personal details that serve no public interest.
- Use anyone else's login, or any trick, to reach records that are not public.
- Search sensitive records on a work device or office network.
If you hold documents that suggest a hidden ownership link, read source safety dos and don'ts first. Never use a work device or work network to contact a journalist. When you are ready, our secure tip form is the safest way to reach us.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to check company ownership in India?
Basic company and director master data on the MCA portal is free to view. Opening a company's filed documents, such as annual returns and financial statements, needs a login and a small fee per company.
How do I find all companies linked to a director in India?
Search the director's DIN in the director master data service on the MCA portal. It lists the companies and LLPs linked to that DIN.
Can I search beneficial owners of a Pakistani company?
Companies must file a Form 45 declaration of ultimate beneficial ownership with SECP. We could not confirm that these declarations are open to public search, so check SECP's portal for current access.
Where do I search company records in Bangladesh?
Use the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC). It offers a basic online search and certified copies of filed documents on application.
Does the same name on two company records mean the same person?
No. Match at least two independent identifiers, such as a director number, full address or father's name, before linking records.
Does owning a company that wins a government contract prove corruption?
No. It may raise a conflict-of-interest question worth investigating, but you need evidence of a rule broken or interest hidden, and the people named must be given a chance to respond.
Sources
- mca.gov.in/
- mondaq.com/india/CorporateCommercial-Law/737358/Significant-Beneficial-Ownership
- secp.gov.pk/media-center/press-releases/secp-asks-companies-to-file-beneficial-ow
- secp.gov.pk/
- thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/outmoded-company-reg-operation-law-being-upgraded-for-fair-busi
- events.development.asia/system/files/materials/2026/07/ppt-6-bppa-ppr-2025-mr-s-m-moin-uddin-