CBI gets nod to prosecute Amnesty International India ex-chief Aakar Patel

New Delhi, April 12

The CBI has received the government’s go-ahead to prosecute the Amnesty International India and its former chief Aakar Patel for alleged violations of the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).

Officials said the move would pave the way for a Special Court to take cognisance of the CBI chargesheet filed on December 31, 2021.

Special court reserves order

A Special Court on Tuesday reserved its order on the CBI’s petition challenging a magistrate court’s direction to withdraw Look Out Circular issued against Aakar Patel.

The officials said the CBI had sought the sanction of the government to prosecute the Amnesty International India because of mandatory clause of Section 40, FCRA, that bars any court to take cognisance of offence under the FCRA without the previous sanction of the central government or any officer authorised by the government in this behalf. The chargesheet was filed on December 31, 2021, by the agency in the Special CBI Court at Rouse Avenue against Patel and Amnesty International India under Section 11 read with Sections 35 and 39 of the Act after a two-year probe into alleged violations, the officials said, adding that the court would now take cognisance of charges on April 18. Following the chargesheet, the agency had issued a Look Out Circular against Patel on the basis of which he was stopped from leaving Bengaluru Airport for the US.