JOIN USI-T raids on think tank, NGOs in Delhi, Bengaluru over tax evasion rumours
The Income Tax Department officials conducted simultaneous searches in the national capital and Bengaluru on Wednesday—in Delhi, at the offices of independent think tank Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and the charity organisation Oxfam India, while in Bengaluru the premises of non-profit institution Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF).
A team of more than 10 officers visited the CPR office in Chanakyapuri and, noon-onwards specifically inspected the think tank’s account books. The surveys were likely to go on through the night at Oxfam’s Okhla office too, sources said.
Neither organisation commented on the income tax department’s raids. Even though the I-T department refrained from commenting, sources said the searches were conducted based on credible information about tax evasion.
The CPR website states that the think tank is recognised as a not-for-profit society by the government and contributions “are tax exempt”.
Once headed by academician Pratap Bhanu Mehta, who is a critic of the BJP government, the CPR governing board is, at present, chaired by Meenakshi Gopinath, a political scientist who taught at Jawaharlal Nehru University.
About funding, the website states that the think tank receives grants from a variety of domestic and international sources, including foundations, corporate philanthropy, governments, and multilateral agencies.
On the other hand, Oxfam India is part of a global consortium of NGOs under the Oxfam umbrella. Its website says it works “to end discrimination and create a free and just society.”
IPSMF, based out of Bengaluru, provides funds to a number of digital media outlets, including Caravan, The Print and Swarajya.
The I-T Department carried out searches across the nation, including in Haryana, Maharashtra and Gujarat, as part of its nationwide raids to uncover the funding of more than 20 registered unrecognised political parties (RUPP).
The action was reportedly undertaken by the department on a recommendation by the Election Commission which recently struck off at least 198 entities from its list of RUPP, after they were found non-existent during physical verification.
The poll panel had announced that it was taking action against more than 2,100 entities—which it categorised as RUPP—for flouting election laws, including those related to filing of monetary contributions, and failing to update their address and names of their office bearers.