Based on the Ministry of Home Affairs' (MHA) probe over violation of foreign funds, the CBI has registered a case against the Lawyers Collective, its president Anand Grover and other office-bearers including senior lawyer Indira Jaising, for alleged violation of the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA). The case was filed last week in Mumbai.

After a two year-long probe and cross verification from Lawyers Collective — an NGO run by senior lawyers Indira Jaisingh and Anand Grover — the foreign division of MHA had alleged that the funds received through foreign contributions were used for unstated purposes. The organisation was earlier registered under the Act for carrying out social activities. It received more than Rs 32 crore in foreign contributions between 2006 and 2015.

After the alleged violation of the Act was noticed, the Ministry got an on-site inspection done in January 2016 and subsequently, sought explanations from the organisation on the spending under scrutiny. Not satisfied with the submissions, the Ministry then cancelled the Lawyers Collective's registration in November 2016 and alleged using foreign contributions for "political purposes".

POLITICAL BEND CBI case based on the probe started by the MHa to look into the group’s use of foreign funds ALLEGATIONS AGAINST COLLECTIVE “Spending foreign contribution on advocacy with media and MPs is in violation of the main spirit of FCRA,” the MHA had stated.

Lawyers Collective used Rs 13 lakh out of foreign contribution in advocacy with MPs or the media to organise rallies/dharnas, draft legislation meetings in 2009, 2011 and 2014

MIt also organised a protest of 250 people at Rs 200 per person outside Law Ministry in 2009 for the HIV Bill. DFunds were also spent on media advocacy with 67 MPs in 2010

In its letter to the CBI, the Ministry listed several alleged violations on the part of the organisation's functionaries, including Grover.

MHA had also alleged that there were discrepancies in foreign contributions. The ministry also stated that Jaising, who was the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) of India under the previous UPA government, had violated Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) norms by receiving foreign funds when she was a government servant.

According to the FIR, in one instance, Jaising's air ticket was also booked out of foreign contribution received by the organisation, though she was officially not attached with the case (2011), nor it was an association related activity. She also received Rs 96.6 lakh as remuneration from Lawyers Collective out of foreign contribution while working as ASG.

According to the CBI FIR: "Large amounts of foreign contributions were found to have been spent on air travel, boarding and lodging and local travel of the trust's Grover and various contractual employees from different parts of the country for draft legislation meetings, dharnas and advocacy with MPs." These meetings, according to MHA, were conducted in connection with draft legislation of the HIV/AIDS Bill.