White-collar defence and dawn raids
A protected record of what was taken and said during a search, and a clear view of your exposure before proceedings begin.
Readiness protocols and on-site support when an agency arrives, keeping privilege, evidence and the record intact.
Searches by enforcement, tax and customs authorities or the Competition Commission's investigators often begin without warning. What happens in the first hours, what is copied, what is said and how privilege is protected, shapes the case that follows.
We help organisations prepare: a written protocol, a trained response team and clear guidance for reception, IT and leadership. When a search happens, we support on site alongside counsel, keep a parallel record of what is taken and help identify privileged material.
After the search, a shadow investigation run with counsel establishes what the agency is likely to find: document and e-mail review, a timeline of decisions and confidential discussions with the people involved. Counsel then know the exposure before proceedings begin.
An agency may arrive, or has arrived, to search premises, question people or seize records.
Signs we see most often
- 01Your sector or a competitor has been searched recently.
- 02An agency has issued summons or requested documents.
- 03Employees do not know what to do if officials arrive.
- 04A search has taken place and you do not know exactly what was taken.
- 05Senior people may be questioned about past decisions.
Scoped in writing, run by one accountable team.
Every engagement starts with agreed questions, a reporting line and a confidentiality protocol. The steps below are how this service usually runs; we adapt them to your matter.
- 01PrepareWrite the response protocol and train reception, IT, legal and leadership.
- 02RehearseRun mock searches and debrief the team.
- 03RespondSupport on site during a search, alongside counsel.
- 04RecordKeep a parallel log and copies of what is imaged or seized.
- 05ProtectIdentify privileged material and set it aside for counsel.
- 06AssessRun a shadow investigation to establish the exposure.
A protected record of what was taken and said, and a clear view of the exposure before proceedings begin.
- A dawn-raid protocol and quick-reference cards
- A trained response team
- A parallel record of documents and data taken
- A shadow investigation report for counsel
- A timeline of decisions and the people involved
The law and frameworks this work is aligned to
- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 search and seizure provisions
- Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 s.17 on search and seizure and s.50 on summons
- Competition Act, 2002 s.41 investigation powers
- Customs Act, 1962 search provisions
- Advocate-client privilege under the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
References show the standard the work is built to. They do not imply accreditation or endorsement by the bodies that publish them.
This is a summary of the service. For a deeper understanding of how it would work for your organisation, please reach out to us.
Talk to a BDI partnerQuestions clients ask before we start.
Can we stop officials from taking documents?
No, and obstruction carries serious consequences. What you can do is cooperate, make sure privileged material is identified, and keep your own record of everything taken. That is what preparation is for.
Should employees answer questions?
Employees should be truthful and courteous. Counsel advise on representation and on how questions should be handled. The protocol tells employees whom to call and what to expect.
What is a shadow investigation?
A confidential review, run with counsel, of the same documents and decisions the agency is examining, so that you understand the exposure before it is put to you.