New Delhi, Nov 15, 2019: The Central Bureau of Investigation on November 15 conducted raids at the Amnesty International India’s Bengaluru and Delhi offices.
The human rights organization offices were raided over the alleged violation of rules involving foreign funding, sources said.
For the last few years, Amnesty International has been under the scanner of investigation agencies over the alleged violation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). The Enforcement Directorate had raided the Bengaluru office last year too.
In a statement, the Enforcement Directorate had said the Amnesty International India resorted to bypass the FCRA Act after they were denied the permission from the home ministry.
The agency alleged the non-profit had set up a floating commercial entity in the name of Amnesty International India Pvt. Ltd, which received 360 million rupees in foreign funds.
Recently, Amnesty India wrote about the spyware Pegasus that targeted WhatsApp users. “NSO Group is an Israeli spyware manufacturer that claims to sell its surveillance tools – the most well-known being its Pegasus spyware – exclusively to governments and government agencies ‘to combat terror and crime’,” Amnesty wrote on its blog.
An Amnesty International India executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “About half-a-dozen CBI sleuths arrived at about 8:30 am at the Bengaluru office and carried out searches until 5 pm.”
In a statement, the human rights watchdog said “Over the past year, a pattern of harassment has emerged every time Amnesty India stands up and speaks out against human rights violations in India.”
It said that it stands in full compliance with Indian and international law.
Amnesty India: Over the past year, a pattern of harassment has emerged every time Amnesty India stands up and speaks out against human rights violations in India.
These are the same values that are enshrined in the Indian Constitution and flow from a long and rich Indian tradition of pluralism, tolerance, and dissent, it added.