Social activist Teesta Setalvad Social activist Teesta Setalvad

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday ordered a CBI probe into the functioning of one of the publishing firms owned by social activist Teesta Setalvad and also seized one of the bank accounts associated with it.

An official said Sabrang Communication Publishing Private Limited (SCPPL), being a private-owned firm, was allegedly involved in violation of the rules of Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) in accepting a donation of $2.9 lakh from Ford Foundation without getting clearance of the MHA.

“Sabrang lobbied with the government in the public sphere to deepen and broaden the concept of minorities. It is stated that lobbying with a political party is not allowed under FCRA Act, 2010,” said a government official.

According to the rules, an organisation or a private firm can accept donations from overseas only after it is registered under FCRA.

This donation was, therefore, a “serious violation” of FCRA provisions which mandate funding from a foreign source to only those recipients who have FCRA registration, the sources said.

A bank account of the firm located in Juhu, Mumbai, has been frozen at the instruction of the Home Ministry, the official said.

As reported by The Indian Express, Setalvad’s SCPPL was served a notice on June 4 and the organisation was asked to furnish a reply by June 19. A team of MHA officials inspected SCPPL’s office but were not satisfied with the replies given by them.

The Gujarat government had asked the MHA to take action against Ford Foundation, alleging that the US-based organisation was “interfering in internal affairs” of the country and also “abetting communal disharmony” through an NGO run by Setalvad.

The fund transfer from Ford Foundation, at present, has to be cleared by a nodal official in the MHA. In April, the Centre had ordered that funds from the Ford Foundation should not be released by any bank to any Indian NGO without mandatory permission from the MHA.

The Gujarat government and Teesta have been embroiled in legal battles. While she has filed several cases against the government functionaries, including the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi in connection with post-Godhra riots of 2002, the police have filed a case of alleged embezzlement of funds against her.

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