Fcra

Centre cancels FCRA licence of Sonam Wangchuk's NGO amid Leh protest

The Home Ministry alleged account discrepancies, including a fund transfer from Sweden against "national interest", as the reason for cancellation

CBI probing FCRA violation by activist Sonam Wangchuk's institution

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

Govt must handle NGO foreign funding cases with an 'open mind': Madras HC

The court made the observation while delivering an order on a plea by a Trust which had challenged the MHA's decision to reject its application for renewal of registration under the FCRA

MHA allows NGOs with expired FCRA registration to pay compounding fee

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday allowed NGOs whose FCRA registration validity has expired to pay compounding penalty and fees from the FCRA bank account held with the SBI through the FCRA online portal. In a public notice, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it administers the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA, 2010) and rules made thereunder, which regulate the receipt of foreign contributions by NGOs, voluntary organisations and associations, and their utilisation for bonafide activities as per law. According to Rule 12(5) of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011 (FCRR, 2011), no person whose certificate of registration has ceased to exist shall either receive or utilise foreign contributions until the certificate is renewed. Accordingly, NGOs and associations whose registrations ceased after the expiry of the validity period were not able to make the payment of compounding penalty and fees from the FCRA bank account. "In view of the abov

Datanomics: How the govt is tightening its grip on foreign funding

A deeper analysis of data from the annual reports of the Ministry of Home Affairs reveals a shifting regulatory approach

Vrindavan's Banke Bihari temple gets FCRA nod to accept foreign donations

The licence will enable the temple to formally accept foreign donations and manage contributions with greater transparency

CBI files chargesheet against NGO Environics Trust for FCRA 'violations'

The CBI has filed a chargesheet against NGO Environics Trust for alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) in several bank transfers carried out in 2018, officials said on Friday. In its chargesheet filed before a special court here, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) named Environics Trust (ET), Vanitha Sreedhar, Nishant Kumar Alag and Prasanta Kumar Paikray as accused under Indian Penal Code sections 120-B, 417, 468 and 471, and provisions of the FCRA. An email sent to ET by PTI seeking a response on the development remained unanswered by the time of filing this story. The CBI, which filed the chargesheet after nearly a year-long probe alleged that ET submitted two forged invoices of Rs 6.50 lakh and Rs 4 lakh of a company named MAA Plasto in its FCRA return to show expenses. The invoices were not issued by the company but the NGO showed them in returns filed for foreign funds utilisation, the agency alleged. The CBI also told the special cour

India's FCRA makes global donations to NGOs 'very difficult': US Senator

The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) of India in its current form makes it "very difficult" for NGOs to receive donations from people around the world, a senior Democratic lawmaker has said. "India has a law called the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act that was amended in 2010 and has been amended again in 2020 that makes it very difficult for NGOs operating in India to receive donations from people around the world," US Senator Time Kaine said during a Congressional hearing on 'Anti-NGO Laws and Other Tools of Democratic Repression' organised by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Organisations like Amnesty International and others have had to dramatically limit or shutter operations in India because they do rely on fundraising," Kaine said. "But India has chosen through this act to significantly restrict the ability of organisations to operate and receive foreign funding. The law allows the freezing of bank accounts investigations, among others," he said. He said

MHA extends validity of FCRA registered NGOs with pending renewal plea

The Union Home Ministry has announced that the validity of all FCRA registered NGOs whose renewal application is pending will stand extended till September 30 or till the date of disposal of renewal application. According to a notification, the home ministry also extended the validity of those Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registered NGOs whose five years validity period is expiring during July 1 to September 30 and which have applied or will apply for renewal before expiry of five years validity period, will stand extended upto September 30 or till the date of disposal of renewal application, whichever is earlier. "The validity of registration certificates of such entities whose validity was extended till 30.06.2024 in terms of the public notice dated 28.03.2024 and whose renewal application is pending, will stand extended till 30.09.2024 or till the date of disposal of renewal application, whichever is earlier," the notification said. The home ministry also advised

ED alleges AAP received Rs 7.08 crore in foreign funds, violated FCRA

The ED alleged that AAP received funds from various sources spanning countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Oman

Relief for NGOs, trusts: June 30 is new deadline for registration, renewal

Form 10A is an application form filed by trusts/institutions who wish to get themselves registered for income tax exemption. Form 10 AB is filed to renew their permanent registration

CBI to question Newsclick HR Head Chakraborty in Tihar Jail on Wednesday

The CBI will question the then NewsClick HR head Amit Chakraborty in Tihar Jail in connection with its probe against the news portal for the alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, officials said Monday. They said Chakraborty will be questioned as a "witness" on Wednesday for two hours in the afternoon about alleged investments from US-based Worldwide Media Holdings (WMH) in the company PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt. One of the shareholders in the company and coordinator for funds received from WMH, Chakraborty is lodged in Tihar Jail in judicial custody after his arrest by Delhi Police Special Cell on October 3 last year under the provisions of provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, they said. They said the CBI had received permission from the special court to question him in Tihar on Wednesday. The central probe agency registered a case against NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, the company PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt, and others on October 07,

FCRA violation case: HC seeks CBI response on Mander's plea against FIR

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the CBI's response on a plea by human rights activist Harsh Mander and his NGO seeking quashing of an FIR lodged against them for alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). Justice Vikas Mahajan issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the petition and asked the agency, which orally assured the court that it was not going to arrest Mander as of now, to file its status report before the next date of hearing. The high court listed the matter for further hearing on August 29. During the hearing, senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishna, appearing for former IAS officer Mander and his NGO Centre of Equity Studies (CES), urged the court to grant an interim relief of no coercive action against the petitioners. Advocate Anupam Sharma representing the CBI said no coercive action will be taken against the activist till the next date of hearing. He said till date the agency has not arrested him and it was not go

Why 20,701 NGOs lost their FCRA licences since 1976: Cause, impact decoded

To accept foreign contribution/donation from a 'foreign source', obtaining prior permission or an FCRA registration licence from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is mandatory

Delhi HC seeks Centre's stand on plea by NGO against FCRA cancellation

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stand of the Centre on a petition by NGO Environics Trust challenging its order cancelling its registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Justice Subramonium Prasad issued notice to the central government and asked it to file a reply to the petition within four weeks. "The petitioner has approached this court challenging an order dated March 4, 2024 cancelling the registration under FCRA. Issue Notice. Reply be filed in four weeks," the judge said. Senior counsel, appearing for the petitioner, said the cancellation order was passed by the Centre without hearing the NGO. "They have to give us a personal hearing before they pass the order of cancellation. There was no hearing given to us. For that every ground this order has to go," he said. He also urged the court to permit it to utilise the amount lying in its accounts for payment of salaries to its employees. The Central government counsel said the writ petition w

Here is why Modi govt cancelled the FCRA licences of five prominent NGOs

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs cancelled the FCRA licences of five prominent NGOs. Here is why

Union home ministry extends validity of FCRA registered NGOs till June 30

The Union home ministry on Thursday extended till June 30 the validity of all FCRA registered NGOs whose licences are expiring on March 31, in a relief to those whose renewal applications are still under consideration. The ministry has also given time till June 30 to all NGOs whose five-year validity period is expiring between April 1, 2024, and June 30, 2024, so that they can apply for renewal before the expiry of their validity. According to the law, all NGOs receiving foreign contributions have to be registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. In a notification, the home ministry said the central government, in the public interest, has decided to extend the validity of FCRA registration certificates of the FCRA registered entities whose validity was extended till March 31, 2024, in terms of the public notice dated September 25, 2023, and whose renewal application is pending. The validity is now extended till June 30, 2024, or till the date of disposal of the rene

HC seeks response of govt to plea against FCRA licence cancellation of CPR

Justice Chandra Dhari Singh issued a notice to the central government and asked them to file a short reply within two weeks

CBI files FIR against Environics Trust for alleged FCRA violation

The CBI has registered an FIR against Environics Trust for alleged violations of provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act in several bank transfers done in 2018, officials said Thursday. The central probe agency has also named R Sreedhar and Vanitha Sreedhar of the trust in the FIR, they said. According to the CBI, Environics Trust (ET) had allegedly transferred Rs 1,250 in the bank accounts of 711 people on November 15, 2020, for distribution among Amphan cyclone-affected people in Odisha but actually the payments were made to protestors for JSW agitation at Dhinkia, Odisha. "Therefore ET has funded the agitators and is involved in the various activities creating law and order issues in the country. These activities were not as per the object of trust and the same is contrary to the provisions of the FCRA Act, 2010," he said. The agency also cited alleged association of the trust with Adivasi Activist Deme Oram who was arrested by the Rourkela Police for rioting and

MHA cancels FCRA registration of CPR for charging violation of norms

"The FCRA has been cancelled via order received on January 10" and the institution will weigh its options to seek justice," Yamini Aiyar, President, CPR said while speaking to ANI