So, you have decided to do it yourself - welcome to online background check. We present here an online guide for conducting your own background check for business or personal use on Indian or US subjects.

Anyone can conduct his/her own background checks. All it takes is the knowledge of where to look for information you're after and a basic skill for searching web-based databases.

Assuming that you have already acquired enough searching skill - let us explore the sources of information.

Source of Information

Your sources of information are :

• Public Records
  
  These are set of documents maintained by the government directly through its various arms (e.g. court records, voter list, land records etc.)
  
  
• Publicly Available Records
  
  These are public records, made available to public by private organizations (e.g. Telephone directory, Yellow Pages, Business Directories, Association Publications, Annual Reports etc.)
  
  
• Private Records
  
  These are records collected or compiled by special organizations like credit rating companies, research organizations, newspaper offices etc. Usually, these types of records are not freely available to general public but can be purchased for a fee (e.g. Dun and Bradstreet Credit Report).

Background Search in India

Quality of background search depends a great deal on level of computerization in public records. In USA, all counties have made available large amount of public records for Internet access. Examples of such public records are criminal records, divorce records, birth, death, and marriage records, civil litigation files, tax liens etc.

Unlike USA, web-based information counters for citizens (also called e-governance) is a recent phenomenon in India. Only few states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Delhi have taken initiatives in this regard.

We have compiled a list of information sources, that can help you find information on Indian companies and individuals.

Remember - the list is only an example to show you the kind of information you can find yourself using your PC. Take it as your starting point and keep adding new sources to make it comprehensive.

Public Records

• Electoral Rolls in Delhi
  http://www.rolls.eci.gov.in
  
  
• Indian Court Orders
  http://www.indiancourts.nic.in
  (also available in CD)
  
  
• Govt of India Directory
  http://www.goidirectory.nic.in
  
  Looking for information on Government of India ? Check out this comprehensive Directory providing links to web sites of Government of India Ministries, Departments, States, Organizations, Union Territories etc.
  
  
• Stolen and Unclaimed Cars
  http://www.delhipolice.nic.in
  
  
• Search Systems - Free Public Records Database in Asia http://www.searchsystems.net

Publicly Available Records

• National Telephone Directory
  http://phonebook.bol.net.in
  
  
• Indian Universities
  http://www.aiuweb.org
  Website of Association of Indian Universities

Private Records - FREE

• Free business information on corporates
• http://www.indiainfoline.com
• http://www.myiris.com
• http://www.capitaline.com
• http://www.cmie.com
• http://www.insight.asiancerc.com

Private Records - PRICED

Friday Corporation
http://www.fridaycorp.com

Provider of business information available in public (e.g. newspaper articles)

Upcoming notable developments

• 'Bhoomi' project of Karnataka Govt
  for computerization of land records
  
  
• Drishti - IT enabled rural service
  http://www.drishtee.com

USA offers far more comprehensive and powerful public data system for background check. We shall discuss it in next issue

Happy Surfing

Dr. Amit K Chatterjee

Related Links:

• Internet Background Check - Part III, How to Conduct Background Check

Source: FAIDA - Newsletter on Business Opportunties from India and Abroad Vol: 4, Issue 08 July 01' 2003