New Delhi, April 20: The CBI has registered a case against Oxfam India and its office-bearers for alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and carried out searches at the NGO’s offices, officials have confirmed. This came after a complaint came from the Home Ministry, which had suspended Oxfam India’s FCRA licence in January last year.

 

 

 

According to the Home Ministry’s complaint, Oxfam India received Rs 1.5 crore directly into its Foreign Contribution Utilisation account instead of the designated bank account between 2013 and 2016.

 

"From the email found during the I-T survey by the CBDT, it appears that Oxfam India is providing funds to the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) through its associates/ employees in the form of commission. The same is also reflected from the TDS data of Oxfam India which shows payment of Rs 12.71 lakh to CPR in the FY 2019-20…," the complaint has alleged.

 

Oxfam India got FCRA registration to carry out social activities but payment made to the Delhi-based think tank through its associates or employees in the form of commission is not in line with its stated objectives. This is a violation of Section 8 & 12(4) of the FCRA, the complaint added.

 

The complaint also mentioned that Oxfam India was planning to bypass the FCRA by transferring funds to other associations or for-profit consultancy firms. The CBI said that it had seized several emails from Oxfam India’s office during a search operation last year.

 

 

"Email communication found during an I-T (income tax) survey by the CBDT shows that Oxfam India has been planning to pressure the Indian government for renewal of FCRA through foreign governments and foreign institutions," the CBI alleged.

 

“Oxfam India has the reach and influence to request multilateral foreign organisations to intervene on its behalf with the Government of India,” it further alleged. In the complaint, the MHA alleged that this exposed Oxfam India as “a probable instrument of foreign policy of foreign organisations or entities”, which have funded it liberally over the years. It also alleged that Oxfam India routed funds of its foreign affiliates such as Oxfam Australia and Oxfam Great Britain to certain NGOs and exercised control over the project.

 

“The same is also reflected in the TDS data of Oxfam India, which shows a payment of Rs 12,71,188 to CPR during 2019-20. Oxfam India got FCRA registration to carry out social activities. However, payment made to CPR through its associates in the form of commission is not in line of its stated objectives. This is violation of FCRA,” the FIR stated.

 

The CBI also said that Oxfam India continued to pay sub grants to various partners even after coming into force of the FCRA Amendment Act, 2020 which prohibits such transfers.

 

“Pressurising Indian Government for FCRA approval from international agencies and domestic entities. Email communication in impounded material shows that Oxfam India has been planning to pressure the Indian government to renew of FCRA through foreign governments, and foreign institutions like the World Bank, IMF etc,” FIR mentioned.

 

 

“Email dated 28 January 2022 reveals that they have been planning to use European Union, US State Department, World Bank, IMF, Asian Development Bank and various European governments for the same,” it added.

 

The FCRA Amendment Act states that an FCRA registered association will not be entitled to transfer or sub grant any of the foreign contribution to other organisations whether registered or unregistered under the FCRA, 2010. The amendment came into force from September 29, 2020.

 

 

Oxfam India is part of global organisation Oxfam which works on issues such as climate change, poverty, gender inequality, land rights and more. Oxfam International was formed in 1995 by a group of independent non-governmental organizations. They joined together as a confederation to maximize efficiency and achieve greater impact to reduce global poverty and injustice.

There are 21 member organisations of the Oxfam International confederation including India. They are based in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Quebec, South Africa, Spain, Turkey and the United States. Oxfam has three public engagement offices in South Korea, Sweden and Argentina that focus on raising funds and awareness about their work, according to the company.