Amnesty FCRA 'violations' | CBI files supplementary charge sheet

CBI files supplementary charge sheet against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd & Aakar Patel for alleged FCRA violations; 8 entities charged.

The CBI has filed a supplementary charge sheet in connection with its probe against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd and its then executive director Aakar Patel for alleged FCRA violations in which it is understood to have given details about the role of other directors and signatories, officials said on Tuesday.

The agency filed the charge sheet nearly 23 months after the first report against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL) and Patel, registered on January 7, 2022, in a special court here.

In its recent supplementary report, the agency has charge-sheeted eight entities, including Mr. Patel, AIIPL, Indians For Amnesty International Trust (IAIT), the then directors of AIIPL Shobha Mathai, Nandini Anand Basappa, Minar Vasudeo Pimple, head of operations of AIIPL Mohan Premananda Mundkur and its authorised signatory Raj Kishor Kapil under Indian Penal Code section 120B (criminal conspiracy) and sections 11 (1), 35 and 39 (2) of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.

While going through the submissions of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after the first report, they said the special court had asked the agency to probe the role of other directors and file a supplementary final report.

"The prosecution is relying upon the statements of the signatories and directors of the company to prove that the accused (Mr. Patel) was in charge of the affairs of the company. The role of signatories of the contract and directors of the company have not been investigated into," the special court had noted.

In its supplementary charge sheet filed before the court last week, the officials said the agency had corroborated allegations of its FIR.

The agency alleged Amnesty International (UK) had invested ₹10 crore in AIIPL on September 24, 2015, classified as 'Compulsory Convertible Debentures (CCD), which was shown in the balance sheet and Income Tax returns as 'Long Term Borrowings', officials said. This money was kept in fixed deposits, they said.