New Delhi, Jan 25 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against NGO Environics Trust (ET) for alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) related to financial transactions in 2018. The chargesheet, submitted to a special court, names Environics Trust, Vanitha Sreedhar, Nishant Kumar Alag, and Prasanta Kumar Paikray as accused under sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 417 (cheating), 468 (forgery), 471 (using forged documents), and relevant FCRA provisions.
The agency accused ET of submitting two falsified invoices worth ₹6.5 lakh and ₹4 lakh from a company named MAA Plasto in its FCRA returns to account for foreign fund utilization. According to the CBI, the invoices were not issued by the company but were fraudulently included in the NGO’s records.
The special court has directed the Income Tax (I-T) department to provide the original invoices, which remain in its possession despite multiple CBI requests.
Allegations and Probe Details
The CBI began investigating ET in 2023 following a Union home ministry complaint alleging FCRA rule violations in the use of foreign funds. The inquiry was upgraded to an FIR in January 2024 after evidence of irregularities surfaced.
The FIR also alleged that Environics Trust had funded protests against the JSW plant in Dhinkia, Odisha, which created law and order issues. The agency claims these actions were inconsistent with the NGO’s stated objectives and FCRA guidelines.
The chargesheet further highlighted ET’s alleged financial ties with Adivasi activist Deme Oram, who was arrested by Rourkela police for rioting and unlawful assembly. According to the CBI, ₹30,000 was transferred from the NGO to Oram, raising concerns about the authenticity of ET’s activities.
Response and Pending Documentation
An email seeking ET’s response to the charges went unanswered as of the report filing. Meanwhile, the special court has ordered the I-T department to provide original documentation critical to the investigation.
This case adds to growing scrutiny of NGOs under FCRA regulations and underscores the government’s focus on ensuring compliance in the use of foreign funds.
