New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday came out in full support of noted lawyers Indira Jaising and Anand Grover and condemned CBI raids at their residence and offices in the national capital and Mumbai. Kejriwal, who is a trenchant critic of the ruling NDA government, said subjecting veterans who fought for upholding the rule of law and Constitutional values is "clear vendetta".

"I strongly condemn CBI raids on well known senior advocates Indira Jaising and Anand Grover. Let the law take its own course but subjecting veterans who have all through their lives fought for upholding the rule of law and constitutional values is clear vendetta," Kejriwal tweeted.

Indira Jaising alleged that they were targeted for their human rights work.  "Mr Grover and I are being targeted for the human rights work that we have done over the years."

Their NGO Lawyers Collective strongly refuted the charges and disputed "any allegation of misutilisation of any funds".

"It is obvious to us that this is victimisation on account of Ms Jaising taking up the issue of the procedure adopted in relation to allegations of sexual harassment against the Chief Justice of India by a former employee of the Supreme Court, which Ms Jaising has done so in her capacity as a concerned citizen, a senior member of the bar and a women's rights advocate, without commenting on merits of the allegations," the press statement read.


Below we look at the charges leveled against Indira Jaising and her husband Anand Grover

  • Today's action came almost a month after the CBI registered a case against Mumbai-based NGO Lawyers Collective and its President Anand Grover for alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulations) Act (FCRA), criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.

  • The CBI searches, which started around 5 a.m. in Delhi and Mumbai cities, followed a Home Ministry report.

  • Indira Jaising is not named in the CBI FIR.

  • According to the CBI, unknown officer-bearers and functionaries of the NGO, private persons and public servants have also been made accused in the FIR.

  • The CBI officials said the searches took place at the residence and office of Jaising in Nizamuddin East in Delhi.

  • The Home Ministry report said the NGO was registered for carrying out social activities and it received Rs 32.39 crore from 2006-07 to 2014-15.

  • The violation of the FCRA was noticed in 2010, the complaint said.

  • The CBI case says Jaising got a remuneration of Rs 96.60 lakh from Lawyers Collective to travel abroad.


(With additional information from IANS)