Description
Oxfam India's FCRA license had been suspended in January last year. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a complaint against Oxfam India and its leadership for allegedly violating provisions of India's foreign funding rules and is conducting searches at the non-governmental organization's offices, officials said on Wednesday. . According to the complaint filed with the agency by the Home Ministry, Oxfam India received around Rs 1.5 crore directly into its Foreign Contribution Use Account instead of the designated bank account between 2013 and 2016. The complaint also alleges that Oxfam India channeled Rs 12.71 lakhs to the Center for Policy Research (CPR) in FY 2019-20 in violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act 2010 (FCRA) rules.
The CBI said it acted in response to a complaint from the Home Office, which suspended Oxfam India's FCRA license in January last year.
The complaint also mentioned that Oxfam India planned to circumvent the FCRA by transferring funds to other associations or for-profit consulting firms. The CBI said it seized several emails from the Oxfam India office during a search operation last year.
Oxfam India is part of the global Oxfam confederation, which works on issues such as poverty, inequality, gender justice and climate change. The non-governmental organization denied any wrongdoing and said it was cooperating with the authorities.
“Oxfam India has been cooperating with all government agencies since its FCRA registration was not renewed in December 2021. We have filed a plea with the Delhi High Court against the decision not to renew our FCRA registration. The High Court has asked the Union Government to respond to our request," he said in a statement earlier this month.
The CBI v Oxfam India case comes at a time when several civil society organizations have come under scrutiny and government action for their funding and activities abroad. The government said it was cracking down on those who embezzle foreign funds or break the law, while the opposition claimed it was being harassed and curbing dissent.
