We have audited the accompanying financial statementsof Dhanlaxmi Bank Limited (“the Bank”), which comprise theBalance Sheet as at 31st March, 2025, the Profit and Loss Account,the Cash Flow Statement for the year then ended, and notesto the financial statements, including a summary of significantaccounting policies and other explanatory information in whichare included the Returns for the year ended on that dateaudited by the branch auditors of the Bank's branches locatedacross India.
In our opinion and to the best of our information and according tothe explanations given to us, the aforesaid financial statementstogether with the Principal Accounting Policies and Notesappended thereto give the information required by the BankingRegulation Act, 1949 as well as the Companies Act, 2013 (the“Act”) in the manner so required for banking companies and arein conformity with accounting principles generally accepted inIndia and give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of theBank as at 31st March, 2025, its profit and its cash flows for theyear ended on that date.
We conducted our audit of the financial statements inaccordance with the Standards on Auditing (SAs) specifiedunder section 143(10) of the Act. Our responsibilities under thoseStandards are further described in the "Auditor's Responsibilitiesfor the Audit of the Financial Statements" section of our report.We are independent of the Bank in accordance with the Codeof Ethics issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants ofIndia ('ICAI') together with the ethical requirements that arerelevant to our audit of the financial statements under theprovisions of the Act and the Rules made thereunder, and wehave fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance withthese requirements and the Code of Ethics. We believe that theaudit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriateto provide a basis for our audit opinion on the financialstatements.
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professionaljudgment, were of most significance in our audit of the financialstatements of the year ended 31.03.2025. These matters wereaddressed in the context of our audit of the financial statementsas a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we donot provide a separate opinion on these matters. We havedetermined the matters described below to be the key auditmatters to be communicated in our report.
Key Audit Matters
How our audit addressed the Key Audit Matters
1. Classification of Advances, Identification of Non-Performing Advances, Income Recognition and Provision on Advances
Refer Note No. 4 of Schedule 18 to the financial statementsrelating to Asset Quality in respect of movement of Non¬Performing Assets (NPAs) and related provisions.
Advances constitute a significant portion of the Bank's totalassets. They are, inter alia, governed by income recognition,asset classification, and provisioning (IRAC) norms, as well asother circulars and directives issued by the RBI from time totime, which provide guidelines related to the classification ofAdvances into performing and non-performing Advances (NPA)and the recognition of provisions.
The identification of performing and non-performing advancesinvolves the establishment of a proper mechanism, and theBank is required to apply a significant degree of judgment toidentify and determine the amount of provision required againsteach non-performing asset (NPA), applying both quantitativeand qualitative factors prescribed by the regulations.
Our audit approach included testing the design, operatingeffectiveness of internal controls and substantive auditprocedures in respect of income recognition, asset classificationand provisioning pertaining to advances.
We have evaluated and understood the Bank's internal controlsystem in adhering to the relevant RBI guidelines regardingincome recognition, asset classification and provisioningpertaining to advances.
We evaluated the design, implementation and operatingeffectiveness of key internal controls over the valuation ofsecurities for NPAs and Special Mention Accounts ('SMA').
We checked the minutes of credit and business committeemeetings and enquired with the credit and risk departments toascertain if there were indicators of stress or an occurrence of anevent of default in a loan account or any product.
The management of the bank relies on the CBS (Core BankingSolutions) along with other allied IT systems accompanied byvarious estimates, prudent judgement relating to performance ofborrowers, determination of security value, manual interventionsincluding services of experts & professionals for asset classification,Income recognition and provisioning thereon.
Compliance of relevant prudential norms issued by the ReserveBank of India (RBI) in respect of income recognition, assetclassification and provisioning pertaining to advances is a keyaudit matter due to its high degree of complexity and materialityinvolved. Bank has significant exposure to a large number ofborrowers across various sectors, products and industries andthere is a high degree of complexity, uncertainty and judgmentinvolved in recoverability of advances, nature of transactions,estimation of provisions thereon.
We have test checked advances to examine the validity ofthe recorded amounts, loan documentation, examined thestatement of accounts, indicators of impairment, impairmentprovision for non-performing assets and compliance with incomerecognition, asset classification and provisioning pertaining toadvances in terms of applicable RBI guidelines.
We have reviewed the CBS and other related & allied systems forcompliance with the prudential norms issued by Reserve Bankof India.
We considered the Internal Audit, Systems Audit, Credit Audit andConcurrent Audit reports.
We considered the RBI Annual Financial Inspection report onthe Bank, the bank's response to the observations and othercommunication with RBI during the year.
2. Valuation of Investments, Identification of and provisioning for Non-Performing Investments
Refer Note No. 3 of Schedule 1 8 to the financial statementswith respect to Investments and related Provisions. Investmentsinclude investments made by the Bank in various GovernmentSecurities, Bonds, Debentures, Shares, Security receipts andother approved securities. These are governed by the circularsand directives of the RBI. These directions of RBI, inter-alia,cover valuation of investments, classification of investments,identification of non-performing investments, non-recognition ofincome and provisioning against non-performing investments.
Considering the complexities and extent of judgement involvedin the valuation, volume of transactions, investments on handand degree of regulatory focus, this has been determined as aKey Audit Matter. Accordingly, our audit was focused on valuationof investments, classification, identification of nonperforminginvestments and provisioning related to investments.
Our audit approach included testing the design, operatingeffectiveness of internal controls and substantive auditprocedures in respect of valuation, classification, identification ofnon-performing investments (NPIs) and provisioning/depreciationrelated to Investments.
We tested the accuracy and compliance with the RBI MasterCirculars and directions by re-performing valuation for eachcategory of the security on sample basis.
We assessed and evaluated the process adopted for collectionof information from various sources for determining market valueof the investments.
We carried out substantive audit procedures to recomputeindependently the provision to be maintained in accordancewith the circulars and directives of the RBI. Accordingly, weselected samples from the investments of each category andtested for NPIs as per the RBI guidelines and recomputed theprovision to be maintained in accordance with the RBI Circularfor those selected sample of NPIs.
We tested the mapping of investments between the Investmentapplication software and the financial statement preparationsoftware to ensure compliance with the presentation anddisclosure requirements as per the aforesaid RBI Circular/directions.
We assessed and evaluated the process of identification of NPIsand corresponding reversal of income and creation of provision.
1. We did not audit the financial statements of branches andprocessing centres included in the financial statements ofthe Bank whose financial statements reflect total assets of'10176.98 Crores as at 31st March 2025 and total revenueof ?822.58 Crores for the year ended on that date, as
considered in the financial statements. These branchesand processing centres cover 62.86% of gross advances,84.92% of deposits and 62.54% of non-performing assetsas at 31st March 2025 and 55.24% of revenue for the yearended 31 st March 2025. The financial statements of thesebranches have been audited by the branch auditors whose
reports have been furnished to us, and our opinion in sofar as it relates to the amounts and disclosures included inrespect of branches, is based solely on the report of suchbranch auditors.
2. The financial statements for the year ended 31 March2024 were jointly audited by Sagar & Associates, CharteredAccountants and Krishnamoorthy and Krishnamoorthy,Chartered Accountants, who have expressed an unmodifiedopinion on those statements vide their audit report dated 22May 2024, whose report has been furnished to and have beenrelied upon by Abraham & Jose, Chartered Accountants forthe purpose of the audit of financial statements.
Our opinion is not modified in respect of the above matters.
The Bank's Management and Board of Directors are responsiblefor the other information. The other information comprises theinformation included in the Annual Report, but does not includethe financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. TheBank's annual report is expected to be made available to usafter the date of this auditor's report.
Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover theother information and we do not express any form of assuranceconclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, ourresponsibility is to read the other information when it becomesavailable and, in doing so, consider whether the other informationis materially inconsistent with the financial statements or ourknowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to bematerially misstated. When we read the Bank's annual report, ifwe conclude that there is a material misstatement of this otherinformation, we are required to communicate the matter tothose charged with governance.
The Bank's Management and Board of Directors are responsiblefor the matters stated in section 134(5) of the Act with respectto the preparation of these financial statements that give a trueand fair view of the financial position, financial performanceand cash flows of the Bank in accordance with the accountingprinciples generally accepted in India, including the AccountingStandards specified under section 1 33 of the Act read withrelevant rules issued thereunder, in so far as they apply to theBank and provisions of Section 29 of the Banking RegulationAct, 1 949 and circulars and guidelines issued by the ReserveBank of India ('RBI') from time to time. This responsibility alsoincludes maintenance of adequate accounting records inaccordance with the provisions of the Act for safeguarding ofthe assets of the Bank and for preventing and detecting frauds
and other irregularities; selection and application of appropriateaccounting policies, making judgments and estimates thatare reasonable and prudent; and the design, implementationand maintenance of adequate internal financial control thatwere operating effectively for ensuring the accuracy andcompleteness of the accounting records, relevant to thepreparation and presentation of the financial statements thatgive a true and fair view and are free from material misstatement,whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, management and Boardof Directors are responsible for assessing the Bank's ability tocontinue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, mattersrelated to going concern and using the going concern basis ofaccounting unless management and Board of Directors eitherintends to liquidate the Bank or to cease operations, or has norealistic alternative but to do so.
Those Management and Board of Directors are also responsiblefor overseeing the Bank's financial reporting process.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance aboutwhether the financial statements as a whole are free frommaterial misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and toissue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonableassurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee thatan audit conducted in accordance with SAs will always detecta material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arisefrom fraud or error and are considered material if, individuallyor in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected toinfluence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis ofthese financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exerciseprofessional judgment and maintain professional scepticismthroughout the audit. We also
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of thefinancial statements, whether due to fraud or error, designand perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, andobtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate toprovide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting amaterial misstatement resulting from fraud is higher thanfor one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion,forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or theoverride of internal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal controls relevant tothe audit in order to design audit procedures that areappropriate in the circumstances. Under section 143(3)(i) ofthe Act, we are also responsible for expressing our opinionon whether the Bank has adequate internal financial controlswith reference to financial statements in place and theoperating effectiveness of such controls.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies usedand the reasonableness of accounting estimates andrelated disclosures made by management and Board ofDirectors.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of managementand Board of Directors use of the going concern basis ofaccounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained,whether a material uncertainty exists related to events orconditions that may cast significant doubt on the Bank'sability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that amaterial uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attentionin our auditor's report to the related disclosures in thefinancial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate,to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on theaudit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor'sreport. However, future events or conditions may cause theBank to cease to continue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and contentof the financial statements, including the disclosures, andwhether the financial statements represent the underlyingtransactions and events in a manner that achieves fairpresentation.
Materiality is the magnitude of the misstatements in the financialstatements that, individually or aggregate, makes it probablethat the economic decisions of a reasonably knowledgeableuser of the financial statements may be influenced. We considerquantitative materiality and qualitative factors in (i) planning ofthe scope of our audit work and evaluating the results of our work;and (ii) to evaluate the effect of any identified misstatement inthe financial statements.
We communicate with those charged with governanceregarding, among other matters, the planned scope andtiming of the audit and significant audit findings, including anysignificant deficiencies in internal control that we identify duringour audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with a statementthat we have complied with relevant ethical requirementsregarding independence, and to communicate with them allrelationships and other matters that may reasonably be thoughtto bear on our independence, and where applicable, relatedsafeguards.
From the matters communicated with those charged withgovernance, we determine those matters that were of mostsignificance in the audit of the financial statements of thecurrent period and are therefore the key audit matters. Wedescribe these matters in our auditor's report unless law orregulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when,in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a mattershould not be communicated in our report because the adverseconsequences of doing so would reasonably be expected tooutweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.
The Balance Sheet and the Profit and Loss Account have beendrawn up in accordance with the provisions of Section 29 of theBanking Regulation Act, 1949 and Section 133 of the CompaniesAct, 2013 read with relevant rules issued thereunder.
1. As required by Sub Section 3 of section 30 of the Banking
Regulation Act, 1949, we report that:
a) we have obtained all the information and explanationswhich, to the best of our knowledge and belief, werenecessary for the purpose of our audit and have foundthem to be satisfactory;
b) the transactions of the Bank, which have come to ournotice, have been within the powers of the Bank;
c) The returns received from the Offices and branches ofthe Bank have been found adequate for the purpose ofour audit;
d) the profit and loss account shows a true balance of profitfor the year then ended.
2. Further, as required by section 143(3) of the Act, we report
that:
a) We have sought and obtained all the information andexplanations which to the best of our knowledge andbelief were necessary for the purpose of our audit;
b) In our opinion, proper books of account as required bylaw have been kept by the Bank so far as it appearsfrom our examination of those books and proper returnsadequate for the purposes of our audit have beenreceived from branches not visited by us;
c) The reports on the accounts of the branch offices of theBank audited by branch auditors under Section 143(8)of the Act have been forwarded to us and have beenproperly dealt with by us in preparing this report;
d) The Balance Sheet, the Profit and Loss Account andthe Cash Flow Statement dealt with by this Report arein agreement with the books of account and with thereturns received from the branches not visited by us;
e) In our opinion, the aforesaid financial statements complywith the Accounting Standards specified under Section133 of the Act read with relevant rules issued thereunder,to the extent they are not inconsistent with the accountingpolicies prescribed by RBI;
f) On the basis of written representations received fromthe directors as on 31 March, 2025 and taken on recordby the Board of Directors, none of the directors aredisqualified as on 31 March, 2025 from being appointedas a director in terms of Section 164(2) of the Act;
g) With respect to the adequacy of the internal financialcontrols with reference to the financial statements of theBank and the operating effectiveness of such controls,refer to our separate Report in "Annexure A” to this report;
h) With respect to the other matters to be included in theAuditor's Report in accordance with the requirements ofSection 197(16) of the Act, as amended;
The Bank is a Banking Company as defined under BankingRegulation Act, 1949. Accordingly, the requirementsprescribed under Section 197 of Act do not apply;
i) With respect to the other matters to be included inthe Auditor's Report in accordance with Rule 11 ofthe Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014,as amended, in our opinion and to the best of ourinformation and according to the explanations given tous:
i) The Bank has disclosed the impact of pendinglitigations on its financial position in its financialstatements - Refer Schedule 12 and Note No. 16(d)of Schedule 18 to the financial statements;
ii) The Bank has made provision, as required underthe applicable law or accounting standards, formaterial foreseeable losses, if any, on long-termcontracts including derivative contracts - Refer NoteNo 16(f) of Schedule 18 to the financial statements;
iii) There has been no delay in transferring amountsrequired to be transferred to the Investor Educationand Protection Fund by the Bank.
iv) (a) The Management has represented that, to
the best of its knowledge and belief, no funds(which are material either individually or in theaggregate) have been advanced or loanedor invested (either from borrowed funds orshare premium or any other sources or kind offunds) by the Bank to or in any other person orentity, including foreign entity (“Intermediaries”),with the understanding, whether recordedin writing or otherwise, that the intermediaryshall, whether, directly or indirectly lend orinvest in other persons or entities identified inany manner whatsoever by or on behalf of theBank (“Ultimate Beneficiaries”) or provide anyguarantee, security or the like on behalf of theUltimate Beneficiaries;
(b) The Management has represented, that,to the best of its knowledge and belief, nofunds (which are material either individuallyor in the aggregate) have been received bythe Bank from any person or entity, includingforeign entity (“Funding Parties”), with theunderstanding, whether recorded in writing orotherwise, that the Bank shall, whether, directlyor indirectly, lend or invest in other persons orentities identified in any manner whatsoeverby or on behalf of the Funding Party (“UltimateBeneficiaries”) or provide any guarantee,security or the like on behalf of the UltimateBeneficiaries;
(c) Based on the audit procedures that havebeen considered reasonable and appropriatein the circumstances, nothing has come toour notice that has caused us to believe thatthe representations under sub-clause (i) and(ii) of Rule 11(e), as provided under (a) and (b)above, contain any material misstatement.
v) The bank has not declared or paid any dividendduring the year and hence the compliance ofSection 123 of the Act is not applicable.
vi) Based on our examination which included testchecks, the Bank has used an accounting softwarefor maintaining its books of account which has afeature of recording audit trail (edit log) facilityand the same has been operated throughout theyear for all transactions recorded in the software.Further, during the course of our audit we did notcome across any instance of audit trail featurebeing tampered with. Additionally, the audit trailhas been preserved by the Bank as per the statutoryrequirements for record retention.
Chartered Accountants Chartered Accountants
Firm Registration No.: 003510S Firm Registration No.: 000010S
Partner Partner
Membership No.: 029644 Membership No.: 214773
UDIN: 25029644BMIBVL6834 UDIN: 25214773BMLCOF7787
Place : Kochi Place : Kochi
Date : 09.05.2025 Date : 09.05.2025