Two NGOs under CBI scanner for FRCA violations

The Union Home Ministry has referred two cases of Tamil Nadu-based Non-Governmental organisations for investigations for FCRA violations. The two NGO's have been organising demonstrations against setting up the Koodankulam nuclear power plant in the state.

A senior official of the premier investigating agency confirmed the receipt of directive from the home ministry to investigate their sources of funds from foreign sources and its mis-utilisation.

"The Central Bureau of Investigation has recently received two references from the Ministry of Home Affairs alleging contravention of the provisions of the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act, 2010, against two Tamil Nadu based NGOs. The same are being examined in CBI for appropriate further action," the officer said.

A top CBI officer while confirmed the registration of the preliminary inquiry, but refused to give any further details about the organisations. "The names of these organisations cannot be revealed at this stage," he said.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in an interview to American magazine Science had alleged that the NGO's were being backed by organisations from Scandinavia and the United States with funds to stop the Kundakulam nuclear power project that is coming up in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.

In response, Uday Kumar, coordinator, People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy, had sent a legal notice to Dr Singh, alleging that the accusations were baseless.

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told rediff.com that Dr Singh should not have made the allegations unless he had proof.

"Being the chief executive of the government he should take the nation into confidence about how the funds have been misused. And what steps the government took to deal with it," he said.

The BJP is convinced that the protests were being organised by funding it through money collected from the farmers and others affected by this massive project.

"I have met a number of farmers in person who have donated money to the NGO to fight against the nuclear power project," he said. 

Thomas Kocherry, a 72-year-old fishworkers' leader, said, "The governmen't reaction is virtually on the same lines when it arrested Anna Hazare. It deported a German who had been campaigning against nuclear projects without explaining or even establishing any guilt," said Kocherry, who sees the probe as an attempt to crush the movement against nuclear plants.