A court has ordered the government to release blocked funds of Greenpeace India, the environmental group said on Tuesday, months after being accused of running campaigns that were hurting Asia's third-largest economy.
India's intelligence service in June said Greenpeace and other lobby groups were damaging the country's economy by campaigning against power projects, mining and genetically modified food.
While Greenpeace denied the allegations, India asked its central bank to tighten controls on moving funds from abroad into Greenpeace's Indian accounts.
Greenpeace said the Indian government had "arbitrarily barred" it from receiving foreign funds from Greenpeace International and Climate Works Foundation in June 2014.
"This blockage on Greenpeace India's funding and international funding from Greenpeace international was challenged in court and we believe that this verdict is not just a victory for Greenpeace but certainly it's a victory for democracy. We are a vibrant democracy, the judiciary and the high court has given a right judgement and for us we believe that this is an opportunity for civil society and government to work together to solve many issues that we as a country face," Samit Aich, Greenpeace India's Executive Director, said in New Delhi.
The government's move to restrict the movement of funds had raised concerns that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new government will be tough on foreign-funded activist groups.
