The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has told a court in New Delhi that Amnesty International UK illegally directed over Rs 51 crore to its Indian unit to fund "anti-national activities," citing the NGO's projects ‘Kashmir: Access to Justice’ and ‘Justice for 1984 Sikh Massacre,’ The Indian Express reported on Sunday, 24 July.
The central agency reportedly said that this was done in the guise of export of services.
This development comes after the ED filed a money-laundering charge sheet against Amnesty India and its former CEO Aakar Patel and a few other entities on 9 July.
A prosecution complaint was filed before the court of Principal City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru city against Amnesty International India Private Limited (AIIPL), Indians for Amnesty International Trust (IAIT) and others.
The ED, in its complaint, said that during "2011-12, Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT) had been granted permission under the FCRA, 2010 for receiving foreign contribution from Amnesty International, UK".
Earlier, on 8 July, a show-cause notice was issued under the civil law of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), which penalised AIIPL for Rs 51.72 crore and Patel for Rs 10 crore. Patel had said they will challenge the ED action undertaken under FEMA in court.
(With inputs from The Indian Express and PTI.)
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