CBI Searches At 40 Places In Crackdown On NGOs Violating FCRA Norms, MHA Officials Under Lens

Six MHA officials and NGO representatives have been apprehended by CBI over the alleged FCRA violations of over Rs 2 crore found so far in illegal transactions through hawala channels.  

(File Photo/ AFP)

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday conducted massive nationwide search operations at as many as 40 locations in a massive crackdown on Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the view of violation of foreign funding norms. The crackdown took place over Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act violation on the inputs of Union Home Ministry, officials told news agency PTI.

According to reports, six MHA officials and NGO representatives have been apprehended by CBI over the alleged FCRA violations of over Rs 2 crore found so far in illegal transactions through hawala channels.  

The coordinated operation over the alleged breaches of FCRA is going on at around 40 locations including in Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Mysore and some places in Rajasthan, CBI officials aware of the development said.

It has been detected during the operation that several public officials from the MHA, NGO representatives and middlemen exchanged money to facilitate the foreign donations in violation of FCRA, 2010, they said further.

"In the operation, CBI apprehended some accused, including public servants, while exchanging bribe. Around half a dozen public servants & others are being questioned. During searches so far, transaction of Rs 2 crore has been found through illegally routed hawala channel. Searches continue," the official added further.

The development comes hours after the investigating agency conducted searches at the premises of former J&K Bank chairman Haseeb Drabu and some other former top officials in connection with the purchase of the bank's office building in Mumbai in 2010. 

The searches were conducted at eight locations in Mumbai, Srinagar and Jammu during which the CBI claimed several incriminating documents were found. As per the officials, CBI had registered an FIR in the purchase of the Akruti Gold Building for around Rs 180 crore by the bank for its integrated office in Mumbai.