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NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Saturday upheld an order directing the CBI to withdraw a lookout circular against former Amnesty India chairman Aakar Patel.
The agency had issued an alert barring Patel from leaving the country in connection with a case of alleged violation of the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA).
Besides withdrawing of the circular, the plea had also sought an apology from the agency for its actions. The Delhi court, however, set aside the request.
Patel had sought the court’s permission to visit the US to take up his foreign assignment and lecture series organised by various universities till May 30.
The plea submitted that Patel was stopped by immigration authorities at the Bangalore International Airport on April 6 while he was boarding a flight to the US.
The application claimed that the action was taken despite an order by a Gujarat court granting him permission to travel abroad.
Foreign contributions
A case was registered against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL), Indians For Amnesty International Trust (IAIT), Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT), Amnesty International South Asia Foundation (AISAF) and others in November 2019.
It was alleged that the provision of the FCRA and IPC were contravened by the aforesaid entities by receiving foreign contributions from Amnesty International UK through AIIPL even though prior registration or permissions were denied to AIIFT and other trusts under FCRA, the officials said.
After the searches that took place post-FIR, Amnesty International India alleged that over the past year, a pattern of “harassment” has emerged every time Amnesty International India stands up and speaks out against “human rights violations” in India.
“Amnesty International India stands in full compliance with Indian and international law. Our work in India, as elsewhere, is to uphold and fight for universal human rights. These are the same values that are enshrined in the Indian Constitution and flow from a long and rich Indian tradition of pluralism, tolerance, and dissent,” the Amnesty said in the statement.
According to a complaint filed by the Home Ministry to the CBI, AIIPL is a ‘for-profit’ company. It was observed that the London-based Amnesty International worked through four companies, which have been named by the CBI in the case.
It is alleged that a payment of Rs 10 crore, classified as Foreign Direct Investment, was remitted to Amnesty India from London office without taking the home ministry’s approval. Another Rs 26 crore has been remitted to Amnesty India, “primarily from the UK based entities,” it alleged.
“All such receipts have subsequently been expended on Amnesty’s NGO activities in India, in violation of FCRA,” it charged.
(With inputs from agencies)
The agency had issued an alert barring Patel from leaving the country in connection with a case of alleged violation of the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA).
Besides withdrawing of the circular, the plea had also sought an apology from the agency for its actions. The Delhi court, however, set aside the request.
Patel had sought the court’s permission to visit the US to take up his foreign assignment and lecture series organised by various universities till May 30.
The plea submitted that Patel was stopped by immigration authorities at the Bangalore International Airport on April 6 while he was boarding a flight to the US.
The application claimed that the action was taken despite an order by a Gujarat court granting him permission to travel abroad.
Foreign contributions
A case was registered against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL), Indians For Amnesty International Trust (IAIT), Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT), Amnesty International South Asia Foundation (AISAF) and others in November 2019.
It was alleged that the provision of the FCRA and IPC were contravened by the aforesaid entities by receiving foreign contributions from Amnesty International UK through AIIPL even though prior registration or permissions were denied to AIIFT and other trusts under FCRA, the officials said.
After the searches that took place post-FIR, Amnesty International India alleged that over the past year, a pattern of “harassment” has emerged every time Amnesty International India stands up and speaks out against “human rights violations” in India.
“Amnesty International India stands in full compliance with Indian and international law. Our work in India, as elsewhere, is to uphold and fight for universal human rights. These are the same values that are enshrined in the Indian Constitution and flow from a long and rich Indian tradition of pluralism, tolerance, and dissent,” the Amnesty said in the statement.
According to a complaint filed by the Home Ministry to the CBI, AIIPL is a ‘for-profit’ company. It was observed that the London-based Amnesty International worked through four companies, which have been named by the CBI in the case.
It is alleged that a payment of Rs 10 crore, classified as Foreign Direct Investment, was remitted to Amnesty India from London office without taking the home ministry’s approval. Another Rs 26 crore has been remitted to Amnesty India, “primarily from the UK based entities,” it alleged.
“All such receipts have subsequently been expended on Amnesty’s NGO activities in India, in violation of FCRA,” it charged.
(With inputs from agencies)
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