Bengaluru, Dec 18 (IANS): A group of former top officials from various Indian law enforcement agencies launched screening and verification agency Fourth Force to help pre-empt fraud and human resource criminal risk mitigation in companies.

"Considering there is a rise in the number of industries and recruitment, the scope for acts of fraud have increased invariably. Fourth Force simplifies the entire process of thorough background verification," said G. S. Rajagopal, former secretary, internal security in the union home ministry, and a founder.

"Fourth Force provides thorough background verification services which play a vital role in industries like BFSI, telecom, IT, retail. An effective task force of experienced ex-police officers who have served a minimum of 35 to 40 years is what makes Fourth Force effective in thorough background verification," said chairman and MD Saleem Ali.

Started in Chennai this year, the pan-India organization is manned by officers who have served in various police departments, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Railway Protection Force (RPF) and others.

Fourth Force aims to validate and authenticate records, ascertain true background of an applicant with modern web-based applications along with a pan India helpline.

Other backers of the company include two former Karnataka directors general of police (DGP), Kuchanna Srinivasan and Shankara Mahadev Bidri.