Decide on probe plea against Team Anna: HC to Centre

The Centre was on Wednesday directed by the Delhi high court to consider in three months a plea seeking an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation against members of Team Anna for allegedly receiving funds from foreign organisations to run their agitation for the Lokpal Bill.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw asked Additional Solicitor General A S Chandhiok to treat the PIL as a representation and dispose it of in three months after giving a hearing to the petitioner who alleged that Team Anna violated the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.

The bench also directed petitioner Manohar Lal Sharma, an advocate, to submit a copy of the petition to the home ministry.

In his petition, Sharma submitted that FCRA mandates the members to seek permission from the central government in order to receive any fund from any foreign company or
organisation.

The members have violated FCRA and the Centre has failed to take any action against them, it alleged.

Citing a list of some foreign organisations, the petitioner asked the court to declare the agitation launched by Team Anna as illegal.

"The court be pleased to declare foreign-sponsored agitation as illegal, unconstitutional," Sharma said, also seeking prosecution of the members of Team Anna under FCRA.

It sought a direction to the "Union of India to conduct CBI investigation against team members and others and ask for an action taken report."

The petitioner alleged, "Team Anna has been running their anti government graft movement...for creating false propaganda for lowering Indian Parliament and defame entire constitutional and judicial structure as corrupt."