ED searches in Delhi, Haryana in case against NGO, owner

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted nearly a dozen searches in Delhi and Haryana as part of its FCRA and money laundering probe against Delhi-based NGO Advantage India and its owner Deepak Talwar, and four others.

The probe under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and Prevention of Money Laundering Act was launched against the accused on charge of misusing donations of Rs 90.72 crore from two defence and aviation firms -- MBDA and Airbus SAS.

The ED filed the case against Talwar and others based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR in November last year on a complaint of the Home Ministry.

The CBI had alleged that Airbus SAS and missile manufacturer MBDA International, both based in France, gave about Rs 90.72 crore to the NGO for initiatives related to healthcare and education.

Talwar, who reportedly settled in Dubai long back, is accused of misutilising Rs 90.72 crore taken through the foreign funding route and received by Advantage India, run by his family.

The I-T Department also levelled similar allegations against Talwar.

The CBI had also booked Accordis Health Care Pvt Ltd, its Managing Director Raman Kapoor, another member Sunil Khandelwal and one T. Kapoor in the case.

--IANS

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