A day after the Central Bureau of Investigation raided the New Delhi and Bengaluru offices of Amnesty India, news agency ANI citing CBI sources says that the books of accounts of Amnesty India reveal that they indulged in activities which were in violation to the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act).
CBI Sources: It was also alleged that Amnesty International (UK) invested Rs. 10 crore(approximately) as FDI in Amnesty International India Pvt. Ltd, Bengaluru by subscribing to the debentures.
— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2019
CBI sources reportedly told ANI that the activities carried out by Amnesty India were not commensurate to activities of for-profit company. These activities by Amnesty India were allegedly either prohibited or were regulated under the FCRA. The CBI sources further told the news agency that Amnesty International (UK) invested approximately 10 crore as fixed deposit (FD) in Amnesty India Private Limited, Bengaluru, by subscribing to the debt instruments, debentures.
The CBI raid on the alleged human rights organisation came just weeks after a show-cause notice was issued to the organisation by ED. The NGO is accused by ED of violations in borrowing and lending regulations of FEMA to the tune of Rs 51.72 crore for rendering civil society activities in the country by getting remittances from its parent body, Amnesty International UK, in the garb of export of services.
ED’s Bengaluru offices were searched by ED in October last year in connection with its probe in the alleged violation of FDI guidelines and remittances it had received from the parent body. Amnesty director Akar Patel’s residence was also searched by ED at that time.
