FCRA bribery scandal: CBI books 14, recovers Rs 3.21 Cr during search ops at 40 locations

In the massive crackdown on NGOs by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday, May 12, arrested 14 people and recovered Rs 3.21 crore in cash during the searches conducted at 40 locations against NGOs, middlemen and Union Home Ministry officials for allegedly facilitating foreign donations in violation of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, officials said, reported PTI.

On May 10, the agency registered a case against 36 people including seven officials of the Home Ministry's FCRA division and NIC, middlemen, and NGO representatives on a complaint from the ministry, following which CBI conducted searches at 40 locations across the country on Tuesday. 

"It was alleged that some officials of FCRA Division in conspiracy with the promoters/representatives of different NGOs, middlemen, were indulging in corrupt activities for getting backdoor FCRA registration/ renewal to NGOs illegally with an object to continue receiving donations despite not fulfilling the prescribed norms," CBI Spokesperson RC Joshi told PTI. Officials further informed that when the matter was brought to the notice of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he had directed that the strongest action should be taken against those involved. Joshi further noted that some public servants were allegedly impersonating officers posted in the FCRA division and were accepting bribes from NGOs for facilitating their registration/renewal of registration under FCRA and for other FCRA-related works.

Bribe through Hawala

Speaking further regarding the matter, RC Joshi stated that during the investigation, two accused were caught while delivering and accepting the bribe amount of Rs 4 lakh on behalf of a Senior Accountant of MHA, New Delhi. It was alleged that the delivery of the bribe was carried out through a Hawala operator and a close associate of the said public servant at Avadi (Tamil Nadu), he said.

Notably, the booked officials include Parmod Kumar Bhasin, Alok Ranjan, Raj Kumar, Md. Ghazanfar Ali, Uma Shankar and Tushar Kanti Roy. Meanwhile, representatives of the Ayries Multipurpose Social Service Society, Centre for Tribal and Rural Development Trust, Mohammad Jahangirabad Educational Trust, Christian Life Centre Ministries, Harvest India, Reformed Presbyterian Church North East India, Nayi Roshni Foundation and Omidyar were booked in the FIR.

Furthermore, Hawala operators, middlemen, executives and representatives of consultancy firms, relatives and staff of officials have also been named as accused in the FIR, officials told PTI.

Massive crackdown on NGOs by MHA

In a conversation with the CBI on March 29, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla informed that at least three FCRA clearance networks were working in close collaboration with some government officials.

The three networks, having links with the government officials, were charging "speed money" and "problems resolution fees" to expedite the FCRA clearance to the NGOs and resolve issues related to the application process for new registrations and renewals, the officials said.

Moreover, the aforementioned bureaucrats were facilitating 'illegal clearances' to the NGOs in exchange for bribes. The case came to light after it was referred by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to the MHA. The raids were conducted in Delhi, Chennai, Coimbatore and Mysuru, among other places.