FCRA violation: After Congress leader V D Satheesan, Vigilance recommends CBI probe against NGO

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Vigilance department has recommended a CBI probe against a state-based NGO and its chairman for alleged FCRA violations in connection with a rehabilitation project involving state Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, official sources said here on Monday.

Government sources on Sunday had revealed that the state anti-corruption agency had recommended a CBI probe against Congress leader Satheesan, citing alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in mobilising money abroad for the 'Punrjani' project.

On Monday, the government sources said that a Vigilance report, containing the recommendation for the central agency probe against Manappat Foundation and its chairman and CEO, Ameer Ahmed, was submitted to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recently.

According to the sources, there were allegations that foreign funds were collected in the name of rehabilitating flood-affected people and sent to Kerala as part of a conspiracy involving Ahmed and Satheesan.

The State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) found that during the period of the Punarjani project (2018 and 2022), an amount of about Rs 1.22 crore was credited to the Manappat Foundation's FCRA account, the sources said.

As per the complaint received by the Vigilance, the funds were collected from various countries in the name of the 'Punarjani' on behalf of Satheesan, they said.

The Vigilance report noted that the Manappat Foundation failed to maintain records or documents relating to the receipt of foreign funds, which amounts to a violation of Rule 19 of the FCRA.

Officials said discrepancies were also found between the funds credited to the foundation's bank accounts and the documents submitted in support of those transactions.

Based on these findings, the Vigilance concluded that financial irregularities had taken place and recommended that the matter be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation, the sources added.

The NGO is yet to respond to the development.

On Sunday, the government sources alleged that Satheesan travelled abroad after obtaining permission from the central government for a private visit and collected funds overseas, which were later transferred to accounts in Kerala in the name of the rehabilitation initiative, violating FCRA norms.

Responding, Satheesan has said he would fight the matter both personally and politically.

The LoP said he had no objection to a CBI probe and was confident the case would not stand legal scrutiny.