CBI Probes Sonam Wangchuk’s Ladakh Institute Over Alleged FCRA Violations

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated an inquiry into alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) by institutions founded by Ladakh-based educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, officials said on Thursday.

According to PTI, the inquiry has been ongoing for some time, though no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered so far.

Wangchuk told PTI that a CBI team arrived with “an order” about 10 days ago, acting on a complaint from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding alleged FCRA violations linked to the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL). He said the order claimed the institute had not obtained FCRA clearance to receive foreign funds.

“The order said we have not taken clearance under FCRA to receive foreign funds. We don’t want to be dependent on foreign funds, but we export our knowledge and raise revenue. In three such instances, they thought it was foreign contribution,” Wangchuk told PTI.

He added that CBI officials also visited the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) last week, seeking details of foreign funding received between 2022 and 2024. The teams, he said, continue to be stationed in Ladakh, reviewing accounts and financial statements.

Disputed Transactions

Wangchuk explained that the transactions in question were service agreements with the United Nations, a Swiss university and an Italian organisation, all of which he said were legitimate and taxed.

“It was a very dignified assignment. They saw it and they were convinced. They understood it is not helping them, so they began asking for accounts outside that period. Their mandate was to check for accounts during 2022–24, but they started asking for accounts of 2021 and 2020. Then they went to our school asking for various documents outside their mandate period and a school outside the complaint’s purview,” Wangchuk alleged, according to PTI.

He said both HIAL and SECMOL provide free education to underprivileged students, while HIAL also offers stipends to students working on different projects.

Ongoing Scrutiny

Wangchuk told PTI that CBI officers are “still camping in Ladakh and rigorously going through records” but have not directly questioned him so far.

He alleged that the current scrutiny comes against the backdrop of a series of actions targeting him and his institutions. “First, the local police filed a sedition case against me. This was followed by an order taking back the land given for HIAL, citing that the lease amount was not paid,” he said.

Wangchuk claimed that the land issue was raised despite government assurances that the lease policy was yet to be formalised. “Everyone knows, we have documents to show. The government had almost been apologetic in saying that their lease policy is not formed and hence it cannot take fee. It said ‘please bear with us and continue constructions’,” he told PTI.

He further alleged that the CBI probe was followed by income tax summons. “The funny part is, Ladakh is one place where there is no tax. Yet I voluntarily pay taxes, and I get summons. Then they resurrected a four-year-old complaint that labourers were not paid properly. It is guns blazing from all sides on us,” Wangchuk said, according to PTI.

Wangchuk began a hunger strike on 10 September, pressing for Ladakh’s inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and for statehood for the Union Territory.

According to PTI, the cold desert region witnessed the worst violence since 1989 on Wednesday, when groups of youths engaged in arson and vandalism in Leh, targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters and the Hill Council offices, and torching vehicles.

Police and paramilitary forces responded with teargas shells and baton charges to disperse the protesters, PTI reported.

(With inputs from PTI)