CBI probing FCRA violation by activist Sonam Wangchuk's institution

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The Central Bureau of Investigation has begun an inquiry into alleged violation of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act against an institution founded by Ladakh-based educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk, officials said on Thursday.

There has been an inquiry going on for some time but no FIR has been registered yet, they said.

When contacted, Wangchuk told PTI that a CBI team came with "an order" about 10 days ago, saying that they are acting on a complaint from the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding alleged Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) violations in the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL).

"The order said we have not taken clearance under FCRA to receive foreign funds. We don't want to be dependent on foreign funds, but we export our knowledge and raise revenue. In three such instances, they thought it was foreign contribution," Wangchuk claimed.

He said a CBI team visited HIAL and the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) last week, seeking details of foreign funds received by them between 2022 and 2024.

The teams are still camping in Ladakh and going through accounts and statements of the organisations, he said.

Wangchuk said the matters the complaint refers to were service agreements with taxes duly paid to the government. They pertained to India exporting knowledge to the United Nations, Swiss University and an Italian organisation, he said.

"It was a very dignified assignment. They saw it and they were convinced. They understood it is not helping them, so they began asking for accounts outside that period. Their mandate was to check for accounts during 2022-24, but they started asking for accounts of 2021 and 2020. Then they went to our school asking for various documents outside their mandate period and a school outside the complaint's purview," Wangchuk alleged.

Both these schools give free education to needy young students. In HIAL, students are paid stipend for their work on various projects, he said.

"The CBI officers are still camping in Ladakh and rigorously going through records," Wangchuk said, adding that they have not questioned him.

The activist said first, the local police filed a sedition case against him. This was followed by an order taking back the land given for HIAL, citing that the lease amount was not paid.

"Everyone knows, we have documents to show. The government had almost been apologetic in saying that their lease policy is not formed and hence it cannot take fee. It said 'please bear with us and continue constructions'," he claimed.

Wangchuk alleged that this was followed by the CBI action and income tax summons.

"The funny part is, Ladakh is one place where there is no tax. Yet I voluntarily pay taxes, and I get summons. Then they resurrected a four-year-old complaint that labourers were not paid properly. It is guns blazing from all sides on us," he alleged.

Wangchuk had started a hunger strike on September 10, pressing for Ladakh's inclusion in the Sixth schedule and for statehood.

The cold desert region witnessed the worst violence since 1989 on Wednesday, when groups of youths indulged in arson and vandalism, targeting the BJP headquarters and the Hill Council, and set ablaze vehicles.

Police and paramilitary forces had to lob teargas shells to bring the situation under control, officials said.