Cong Admitted Receiving Foreign Funds, Govt Tells Court

The home ministry yesterday told the Delhi High Court that the Congress party has admitted receiving Rs 3.75 crore foreign donation in 1993 and also about its lapse in not informing the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) authorities.

Appearing on behalf of the home ministry, under which the FCRA cell functions, additional solicitor general Abhisek Manu Singhvi told the High Court that the Congress was given a deadline of May 24 to furnish details of the foreign donations and its source.

Singhvi told a division bench comprising acting chief justice Mahinder Narain and Justice S K Mahajan that if the Congress failed to do so within the deadline, the FCRA cell would consider initiation of action under the default clause of the Act.

The bench while posting further hearing of the matter to May 26 asked additional solicitor general K N Bhat, appearing for Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), to bring to the court all relevant information regarding the donations. Congress president Sitaram Kesri, who was the treasurer of the party at the time of receipt of the foreign donations, sought time to file reply to the petition, which he said was malafide.

The FCRA puts a complete ban on political parties from receiving any donation from foreign sources.

The affidavit further stated that the Congress has asked the Indian Bank, Singapore, from where the bankers draft came to the Congress account in United Bank of India, Parliament Street, details of the source in September 1996.

These three drafts came from three companies Dominion, Decor and Diera and were credited to the Congress account on December 29, 1993, the affidavit said.