Enforcement Directorate, an investigation agency Thursday conducted raids at two locations of human rights watchdog, Amnesty International, in connection with a foreign exchange contravention case.
The searches were in connection with alleged violation of foreign direct investment norms linked to a previous case of revocation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of the NGO by the Union Home Ministry in 2010.
Amnesty India, in a series of tweets, said over five ED officials had raided its office and had ordered employees not to leave, shut their laptop computers and searched their desks. “Employees were not allowed to use their phones to call friends and families,” it said.
It also said the 10-hour raid conducted at its office ended midnight and the staff had fully cooperated with officials.
Over 5 ED officials raided Amnesty’s Bengaluru office. Ordered employees to not leave, shut their laptops and searched their desks. Employees were not allowed to use their phones to call friends and families. #CrackdownOnAmnesty
— Amnesty India (@AIIndia) October 25, 2018
ED raid on Amnesty India shows a disturbing pattern of the government silencing organisations that question power. It is clear that the government wants to instill fear among Civil Society Organisations. #CrackdownOnAmnesty
— Amnesty India (@AIIndia) October 25, 2018
After a crackdown on a no. of NGOs, Enforcement Directorate hits at Amnesty. The 10 hour long raid conducted at our Bengaluru office ended at midnight. Our staff fully cooperated with officials. We reiterate, our structure is compliant with Indian laws. #CrackdownOnAmnesty
— Amnesty India (@AIIndia) October 25, 2018
In a press release, it stated that its structure is compliant with Indian laws and the ED raid shows “a disturbing pattern of government silencing organisations that question power.” The human rights watchdog alleged that the government is instilling fear among civil society organisations by conducting such raids.
“…We reiterate, our structure is compliant with Indian laws,” Amnesty India said in a tweet.
PRESS RELEASE: Government authorities are increasingly treating #humanrights organizations like criminal enterprises. Amnesty India is the latest target of the government’s assault on civil society in the country.#CrackdownOnAmnesty https://t.co/CkL8IW3CIO
— Amnesty India (@AIIndia) October 26, 2018
The ED, in a statement, had said, “After Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT) was denied the permission/registration under FCRA by the MHA (ministry of home affairs) they resorted to bypass the FCRA by floating commercial entity in the name of Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL).
“This entity has received foreign funds through commercial route to the extent of Rs 36 crore till date,” it had said. Of the total amount of Rs 36 crore, it said, Rs 10 crore was received as long-term loans.
“This amount was immediately placed in FDs (fixed deposits) and another Indian entity Indians for Amnesty International Trust (IAIT) had established an overdraft facility for Rs 14.25 crore keeping the said Rs 10 crore FD as collateral which means the receipt of FDI by trust only.
“The remaining Rs 26 crore was received in two other bank accounts of AIIPL as consultancy services. The inwards remittances received by the AIIPL from overseas is in violation of FDI guidelines,” it had said.
In this background, searches were conducted at Bengaluru office of the NGO and further probe is in progress, it had said.
Recently, Amnesty International called on Indian authorities to conduct effective, independent and impartial investigations into the killings of seven civilians by a blast in the aftermath of the Kulgam gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir and bring those responsible to justice.
“In case of any direct or indirect violence between security forces and armed groups, extra caution should be exercised to ensure that civilians in the area do not become collateral damage. Safety of the civilian population should be of paramount importance,” said Aakar Patel, Amnesty India.
Seven civilians were killed in Kashmir’s Kulgam district on October 21 in an explosion at the site of the gunfight between militants and armed forces.
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The police claimed that the civilians were killed by “stray explosives” after they rushed to the gunfight site, despite a warning by armed forces.
One of the media reports quoted a senior police officer admitting that they withdrew from the gunfight site without sanitising the area. The police later registered a case about the incident and has initiated an investigation.
“What transpired in the aftermath of the Kulgam encounter is unfortunate and could have been avoided had the authorities taken extra caution to ensure that civilians would have access to the area only after proper sanitization of the encounter site was done. While we acknowledge that a case has been registered, we urge the authorities to ensure all those responsible for the incident are brought to justice for their failure to protect the human rights of the population of Jammu and Kashmir,” said Aakar Patel.
Seven civilians were killed after an unexploded shell burst at the site after the gunfight in Kulgam ended. Three militants were killed in the gunfight.
ED had earlier frozen over a dozen bank accounts of environmental NGO Greenpeace and its linked entity after it conducted searches at their premises in Bengaluru on charges of alleged Forex violations after taking cognizance of the FCRA action against it.
