A complaint has been filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Oxfam India and its office holders for allegedly breaking the terms of India’s foreign fundraising regulations.
Between 2013 and 2016, Oxfam India allegedly received close to 1.5 crore straight into its Foreign Contribution Utilisation account rather than the allocated bank account, according to the Home Ministry’s complaint to the agency. In accordance with the requirements of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, it was also alleged in the complaint that Oxfam India channelled 12.71 lakh to the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) in the fiscal year 2019–20.
The Home Ministry had revoked Oxfam India’s FCRA licence at the beginning of last year. The CBI said that it took action in response to that ministry’s allegation. With a focus on topics including poverty, inequality, gender justice, and climate change, Oxfam India is a component of the global Oxfam organisation.
“Oxfam India has been cooperating with all government agencies since its FCRA registration wasn’t renewed in December 2021. We have filed a plea in the Delhi High Court against the decision to not renew our FCRA registration. The High Court has asked the Union government to respond to our plea,” it averred in a statement.
The CBI case against Oxfam India comes at a time when the government is investigating and taking action against various civil society organisations for receiving financing and conducting operations from outside. The government claims that it is taking action against people who abuse foreign funds or break the law, but the opposition has accused the government of harassing its critics and putting the brakes on criticism.
