Days after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) referred the investigation of NGO Oxfam India to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the said agency has registered a case against the NGO and it’s office bearers for alleged violation of provisions of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), sources have said.
Oxfam India, the India arm of the British charity, works for development of marginalised people, according to its website. In 2020, the Centre amended the FCRA Act, 2010, tightening norms that prohibit transferring of funds to other groups by non-profits and imposing a ceiling on their administrative costs.
The amended Act stated these changes were necessary to strengthen accountability and transparency.
Oxfam India was registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act 2010 (FCRA, 2010) for undertaking “Social” activities and its registration certificate was valid upto December 31, 2021.
According to the MHA officials, Oxfam India continued to transfer Foreign Contribution to various entities even after coming into force of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2020 which prohibits such transfers.
The amendment came into force on September 29, 2020. Oxfam India transferred funds to other NGOs, violating provisions of the FCRA, 2010. From emails, found during IT survey by the Central Board of Direct Taxes, it is revealed that the Oxfam India was planning to circumvent provision of the FCRA, 2010 by routing funds to other FCRA -registered associations or through the for-profit consultancy route
In its complaint to CBI, MHA has alleged that the NGI was planning to pressurise Indian Government for FCRA renewal through Foreign Governments and Institutions, sources have said.
In September last year, the Income-tax department had conducted a survey operation against Delhi-based think-tank Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and NGO Oxfam India as part of a probe related to alleged FCRA contravention in funds received by them.
The tax authoroities inspected the book of accounts and financial transactions as part of the probe related to alleged contravention of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)of these organizations.
Oxfam India’s foreign funding was under the scanner when the MHA refused to renew its FCRA license on December 31, 2021 and the ministry cited adverse inputs as the reason for revoking the license.
