Indian police raid offices of lawyers who took on BJP
32
NEW DELHI: Indian police raided the offices and homes of two top human rights lawyers on Thursday in an investigation into foreign funding for their NGO, prompting criticism they were being targeted for political reasons.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted searches relating to a case filed against the non-profit Lawyers Collective and its president, Anand Grover, for allegedly violating laws on foreign funds, a police official said.
In a statement issued in June, after the CBI registered a complaint against the group, Lawyers Collective said it was being targeted for taking up sensitive cases against Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and some of its leaders.
Founded in 1981 by Grover and prominent human rights lawyer Indira Jaising, Lawyers Collective is among the thousands of foreign-funded charities hit by increased scrutiny by the Narendra Modi government.
“The searches are ongoing,” said the CBI official, who declined to be named.
Grover said that CBI conducted raids at his offices and homes in Delhi and Mumbai. The CBI alleges that Lawyers Collective and Grover have violated the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA), aside from other wrongdoing, which the group has denied.
Since Modi took office in 2014, more than 10,000 civil society groups in India have had their licences to receive overseas donations cancelled or suspended for violations of the FCRA.
Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2019
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (32) Closed
Jul 12, 2019 09:44am
When someone take aid for foreign country and targets govt. then there is always something fishy. It should have been investigated earlier but it okay to be late than never.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 09:50am
That is how you do it & do it clinically. Love Modiji's zeal in pushing NGOs into oblivion. They do not have a place in any functional society.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 10:04am
Democrazy in action by the way it's the largest they say ??
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 10:15am
@Danish, "Democrazy in action by the way it's the largest they say ??"
Yes friend, finally. Losing the idealist naivete for core pragmatism, just like any other mature democrazy. We will also lose the Congress imposed secularist tag by and by. Helps India persevere against it's internal and external enemies. It's going to be far more interesting on the security front, while responding. We will wait and watch, shall we.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 10:35am
@John, Of course, but only when it suits Indian interest, you bar all the NGO's and anyone dare to speak against BJP or Modi. This supposed to be world biggest democracy, what a joke.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 10:36am
@Guruji, Of course every zealous Hindu would love Modi's regime and tactics.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 10:49am
@Danish, German saying: Quantity is not quality.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 11:11am
Modi is a fascist in guise of democracy. These lawyers had no conviction only took up cases against BJP.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 11:11am
The only 'NGO' that can flourish in India is the RSS, an organization that I joined just a few years back.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 12:05pm
Nobody is safe in India from the police of BJP. Poice in India works for Modi/BJP only.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 12:08pm
Politics is a contact sport. Congress governments hounded Modi and Shah when they were in power. Now they are getting it back in kind. In any case, these are rich and powerful people. So they will know how to get out of this unscathed.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 12:09pm
It does not indicate any political reason. Both were given notices by HMO and Supreme Court. They are lawyers of high level so are not supposed to violate laws of their land. They are placed at higher responsible positions compared to other citizens of their nation. On the contrary they must be dealt with stringent punishment if found guilty. It has become a norm to cry of vendetta when persons at responsible and accountable positions are dealt with laws of land. This is very serious.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 12:34pm
These lawyers were heloing naxalites, taking foreign fund and misusing it. If u break the law, action will be taken.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 12:37pm
@Saif Zulfiqar, take all unsafe indians to pakistan. We will give them free ticket to travel and settle in pakistan.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 12:53pm
Good to see corrupt public officers are taken to task. Please dont show any leniency to these termites.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 12:55pm
@Saif Zulfiqar, The same as in Pakistan's PTI Government. Sort it out first before speaking.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 01:02pm
@Zak, non of your business, you focus on your country, as I don’t have any right to what so ever to say anything about Pakistan, you also have no rights what so ever to comment on our internal matters,
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 01:15pm
Very good action by vigilance department.
How can anyone get foreign funding for helping AIDS victims and then utlize it for personal foreign trios and use it to post advertisement in media against the government.?
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 01:29pm
@Jjacky, See you all Indians do not like the fact and truth.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 01:36pm
We will have none of it. Greatful for our tolerant and progressive state.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 03:18pm
And Indians have the audacity to lecture us here about freedom of speech first fix the mess in your own backyard first before worrying about others look how critics of the government are being targeted in your “world largest democracy”
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 03:30pm
the lawyer was charging 1 crore per year from the charity
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 03:38pm
It's late but good action. Next action should be on Madrassas who are taking foreign funding and brainwashing kids.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 03:38pm
@Zak,
yeah, you seem to know more about them than indians.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 03:39pm
@Saif Zulfiqar,
all pakistanis like the truth about pakistan, then?
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 03:48pm
Pl use right photographs
Cops seen in this picture seems from some south indian state ..not belongs to Delhi police
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 03:54pm
Modi, the Dictator.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 04:00pm
Yes, most of these foreign funded NGO had to follow their master's dictates to continue receiving funds. As per FEMA all donations and funds must be recorded and annual audit reports submitted to the concerned department. Over thousands of such NGO, especially religious one and those belonging to politicians had not filed their audit reports or falsified them. That is why they were banned. Follow the rules and you will not be persecuted
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 04:02pm
@Zak, as usual you start again without any knowledge of the topic.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 05:49pm
@Torit, that’s his speciality.
Recommend
0
Jul 12, 2019 08:02pm
True Indian mindset.
Recommend
0
Jul 13, 2019 09:32am
These NGOs are criminal organizations. They should be exterminated immediately. Credit goes to BJP.
Recommend
0
