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New Delhi, July 10 (KMS): A day after issuing a notice under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), imposing a penalty of Rs 61.72 crore against Amnesty India and its former head Aakar Patel, the Enforcement Directorate has filed a charge-sheet under provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the NGO and a few other entities.
The ED in an official statement said, a prosecution complaint has been filed before the court of Principal City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru city against Amnesty International India Private Limited (AIIPL), Indians for Amnesty International Trust (IAIT) and others.
The court has taken cognisance of the charge-sheet filed under the criminal sections of the PMLA and has issued summons to the accused, it added.
The PMLA case was filed by the ED after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR against the accused persons and entities, whom it had booked for violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010 and under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The ED said during “2011-12, Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT) had been granted permission under the FCRA, 2010 for receiving foreign contributions from Amnesty International, UK”.
It further said, “The permission/registration has been subsequently revoked to this entity on the basis of adverse inputs received.”
Subsequently, two new entities – AIIPL and IAIT – were formed in 2013-14 and 2012-13 respectively to escape the FCRA route and these entities received foreign exchange “in the guise of” service export and FDI, the ED said.
