Activist Harsh Mander Under Scrutiny Again, MHA Recommends CBI Probe Into His NGO for 'FCRA Violation'

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posted on 1 year ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Officials said there were discrepancies of a “criminal nature” in the former buraeucrat’s NGO, as foreign funding received has been misappropriated as per a preliminary inquiry by MHA

The ministry of home affairs has recommended a CBI probe into former bureaucrat-turned-activist Harsh Mander’s NGO for the alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.

According to officials, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been asked to launch an inquiry into Mander’s NGO, Aman Biradari, which is a “people’s campaign for a secular, peaceful, just and humane world” as per its website. It aims to achieve “equal citizenship, justice, communal harmony, peace, and the celebration of our social and cultural diversity within the very grassroots of our society”, the website further reads.

Aman Biradari is one of the NGOs supported by Namati – the US-based legal empowerment network – which supports numerous NGOs in India, including the Centre for Policy Research (CPR).

The home ministry recently suspended the CPR’s FCRA licence amid allegations of Namati’s links to business tycoon George Soros.

Officials said there were discrepancies in the account books of both CPR and Aman Biradari. While CPR is going through the process of appeal, sources said the discrepancies found in Mander’s NGO were of a “criminal nature”. “The foreign funding received by NGO Aman Biradari has been misappropriated as per a preliminary inquiry by MHA,” officials added.

An official said the CBI was waiting for a formal communication from the central government. The MHA’s recommendations were routed to the CBI through the department of personnel and training.

This is the second time in the last few months that agencies have looked into NGOs associated with Mander. In September 2021, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated a money laundering probe against South Delhi-based Umeed Aman Ghar, a home for boys, and Khushi Rainbow Home, a residence for girls. The two homes were flagged by the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, following which the Delhi Police lodged an FIR. The ED then carried out searches at both the homes, which are run by Centre for Equity Studies (CES) where Mander is a director.

Mander was formerly a member of the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) during the previous UPA government.

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