MHA Moves Three Officers After Links To FCRA Bribery Case

Two government officials were apprehended on September 28 in an alleged bribery case linked to Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act registrations. The Ministry of Home Affairs has since moved out three of the five senior officers in the Foreigners Division-II. According to Ministry orders dated October 1 and October 2, the officers were sent back to their parent cadre after the arrests by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police.

FCRA registration is mandatory for NGOs to receive foreign funds. The Foreigners Division of the Home Ministry handles FCRA registration, renewal, suspension and cancellation.

The action followed allegations that two officials sought illegal payments to help clear a pending FCRA registration. The Home Ministry earlier said it made the arrests in coordination with central agencies. Investigators are examining the extent of their activities and whether other entities may have been involved.

Officers Repatriated

Three officers were shifted out of Foreigners Division-II.

Joint Director Saurabh Bansal and Deputy Director Ayush Bansal, both Indian Cost Accounts Service officers posted in Foreigners Division-II, were repatriated to their parent cadre under an October 1 Home Ministry order.

A day later, on October 2, Rajesh Kumar T, an ICAS officer serving as Deputy Secretary in Foreigners Division-II, was “surrendered” to the Department of Personnel and Training for “premature repatriation” to his parent cadre.

Arrested Officials Allegations

The case centres on two officials.

The Home Ministry had earlier informed that the two arrested men were a Senior Accountant and an Accountant. They are accused of contacting an association and seeking illegal gratification to facilitate its pending FCRA registration.

One of the accused is currently posted in the Foreigners Division. The other is now posted in a Pay and Accounts Office but had earlier served in the Foreigners Division.

Preliminary questioning, the ministry informed, showed that the two were allegedly in touch with several associations and offered help with FCRA registrations and renewals in return for illegal payments. Investigators are examining how far the activity spread and whether other entities were involved.

Past Corruption Cases

The division has faced similar allegations before.

In 2022, the Home Ministry identified at least three consultants who were offering FCRA-related services to NGOs after obtaining confidential details from ministry officers. That alleged racket, involving former and serving Home Ministry personnel, operated for more than six months and the Central Bureau of Investigation investigated it.

An earlier case surfaced in 2016. Acting on a Home Ministry complaint, the CBI raided the residence of Home Ministry officer Anand Joshi over alleged corrupt practices and for allegedly taking away files linked to foreign funds violations involving social activist Teesta Setalvad.

That case also touched NGOs. The accused had arbitrarily issued a notice to environmentalist Sunita Narain’s Centre for Science and Environment in November 2015. A CBI officer said Joshi came under scrutiny after he arbitrarily sent standard questionnaires to about 20 NGOs, the first step in examining possible FCRA violations.

The ministry changed procedure the same year. In 2016, it shifted FCRA renewals for registered NGOs to an online system to reduce human interface after several NGOs complained that officials had sought bribes for renewals. Such renewals are carried out every five years.