FCRA violations: Centre wants CBI probe against Oxfam India

Advertisement

New Delhi, April 6

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Oxfam India for allegedly violating provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, sources said.

They said the ministry found that the Indian arm of the global NGO continued to transfer foreign contributions to various entities, including other NGOs, even after the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2020, came into force. The amended Act prohibits such transfers, the sources said. There was no immediate reaction from Oxfam India.

NGO’s licence was suspended in Jan

• I-T survey finds emails hinting at Oxfam India’s bid to violate norms by routing funds to other entities
• It got Rs 1.50 cr foreign funds directly into FC utilisation account instead of designated FCRA account
• Its FCRA licence was suspended for six months in January 2022, after which it filed revision petition

“During a survey by the Income Tax Department, multiple emails were found which revealed that Oxfam India was allegedly planning to circumvent provisions of the FCRA by routing funds to other FCRA-registered associations or through the for-profit consultancy route,” an MHA source said.

The survey “exposed” Oxfam India as a probable instrument of foreign policy of foreign organisations and entities, which funded the NGO liberally over the years, he said.

Oxfam India, which is registered to carry out social activities, allegedly routed funds to the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), a Delhi-based think tank, through its associates and employees in the form of commission, the sources said.

The same was also reflected from the TDS data of Oxfam India, which shows payment of Rs 12,71,188 to the CPR in 2019-20. “Oxfam India received foreign contributions amounting to nearly Rs 1.50 crore directly into its FC utilisation account instead of receiving these in the designated FCRA account,” the source said.

Oxfam India is the second non-government organisation against whom the MHA has recommended a CBI probe within a month for alleged violation of the FCRA. On March 20, the ministry recommended a CBI inquiry against Aman Biradari, an NGO established by writer and human rights activist Harsh Mander. Oxfam India’s FCRA licence was suspended in January 2022, after which the NGO filed a revision petition with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The FCRA licence of CPR was suspended for six months on March 1 for alleged violation of the Act.