ED Raids Home, Office Of Former IAS Officer Harsh Mander. Activists Call It 'Harassment'

Raids were conducted at the residence, office and non-government organisations (NGOs) run by retired Indian Administrative Services officer.

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted multiple raids at the premises of human rights activist and retired IAS officer Harsh Mander in the national capital in connection with a money-laundering investigation.

Raids were conducted at the residence, office and non-government organisations (NGOs) run by retired Indian Administrative Services officer.

Sources close to news agency PTI said that residence and NGO offices located in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj, Adchini and Mehrauli areas are being searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Several teams of ED are looking at financial and banking documents of the two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) linked to Mander. 

However, Mander was not in the country when raids were conducted at his premises. He left for Germany along with his wife in the early hours of Thursday. Mander is stated to be on a fellowship in that country.

The 66-year-old activist has authored a number of books and writes newspaper editorials on subjects related to social justice and human rights.

The civil rights activist, last year, a press conference organised on Delhi Police's investigation into the Delhi roits which took place in February 2020 resulting arrest of several student activists including Umar Khalid.

Activists, Intellectuals Condemn ED Raids

Several activists and public intellectuals reacted to ED's action against Mander, calling it to be a part of a "continuing chain of abuse of state institutions" to silence its critics.

Activists including Aruna Roy, former Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed, Economist Jean Dreze, Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, DU Professor Apoorvanand, women’s activists Kavita Krishnan and Annie Raja and 22 others have signed the statement condemning the raids, Indian Express reported.

"We condemn these raids to harass and intimidate a leading human rights and peace activist who has done nothing but work for peace and harmony, consistently upholding the highest moral standards of honesty and probity. Over the past year, Harsh Mander and the CES have been subjected to continued harassment by multiple state agencies," the statement said.

FIR Against Harsh Mander

ED raids come on the backdrop of FIR filed by a Delhi Police economic offences wing (EOW) in February against the Centre for Equity Studies (CSE) that runs two child NGOs. Mader is the Director of these NGOs. 

According to PTI, the police complaint was filed under Sections 75 and 83(2) of the Juvenile Justice Act along with Indian Penal Code Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) on the complaint of the registrar of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) against alleged violations in Umeed Aman Ghar and Khushi Rainbow Home in south Delhi, both established by the CSE.

As per Delhi Police, the case was registered on the basis of an inspection of these homes by NCPCR teams in October last year.

Mander had called the allegation 'unjustified'. 

"I think it is completely unjustified. We created a very strong system, like we had elder women (caretakers) sleeping with smaller children and we have counselling. It is just an allegation and a rumour," he had said earlier.