A whip on NGO, corrupt officials! CBI conducts raids at 40 locations over FCRA 'violations' by NGO, nabs 6 MHA officials
According to the reports, the operation was launched on the basis of the tip-off received from the Union Home Minister, which grants licences to NGOs to receive foreign funding. Officials said that when the issue of alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) was brought to the notice of Home Minister Amit Shah, he directed that the strongest possible action should be taken against those involved.
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New Delhi, May 11: Conducting a major crackdown on NGOs and allegedly corrupt officials, the Central Bureau of Investigation conducted raids at 40 locations in multiple cities and arrested 6 MHA officials for violating FCRA provisions and facilitating illegal clearance of FCRA matters for a bribe.
According to the reports, the operation was launched on the basis of the tip-off received from the Union Home Minister, which grants licences to NGOs to receive foreign funding. Officials said that when the issue of alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) was brought to the notice of Home Minister Amit Shah, he directed that the strongest possible action should be taken against those involved.
Following CBI swang into the action and conducted raids at 40 locations in several places including Delhi, Chennai, Mysore, Coimbatore, and Rajasthan.
During searches so far, transactions of around Rs 2 crore through hawala channels have been found. Moreover, the representatives of NGOs, middlemen, and public servants of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) division of MHA were found involved in allegedly facilitating violations of rules under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. These individuals were allegedly acting in violation of the provisions of FCRA and were felicitating illegal clearance of FCRA matters in exchange for bribes.
So far, the agency has apprehended around 14 people, including MHA officials and NGO representatives, in connection with the case. The CBI has found that officials of MHA were taking bribes and were giving FCRA clearance to the NGOs.
It should be noted that the FCRA department of the Ministry of Home Affairs is part of the Foreigners Division of the Ministry and is responsible for granting permission to NGOs under the FCRA to receive funds from abroad. It is also responsible for the cancellation of the registration in case they are found violating the law.
In March 2021, the Ministry of Home Affairs informed that the Centre had revoked the clearance of 2742 NGOs in the past three years - 445 in 2018, 2171 in 2019, and 126 in 2020.
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