Probe alleges 22 audit violations by Deloitte, KPMG arm in IL&FS unit

Auditors deny charges as probe says they 'miserably failed to fulfill the duty entrusted to them'

India detected at least 22 violations of auditing standards by Deloitte Haskins & Sells and a KPMG affiliate while investigating a fraud at a financial company, leading it to seek a five-year ban on the auditors, according to government legal filings seen by Reuters.

The failures were detected as part of a wide-ranging probe into alleged fraud and mismanagement at Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS), which defaulted on its debt obligations last year and sparked fears of financial contagion.

Both auditors have denied wrongdoing.

After the government took over IL&FS, government investigators began looking into one of its key