Joshi detained in FCRA row; Missing files of Setalvad's NGOs set off probe
New Delhi: A home ministry official, who had disappeared after being summoned by the CBI four days back, was detained on Sunday by the agency in connection with a case against him of allegedly issuing FCRA notices arbitrarily to several NGOs for financial gains.
Anand Joshi, an Under Secretary in the ministry, was being questioned by the sleuths of Special Crime division of the CBI. Joshi, who had disappeared on Wednesday morning from his home in Indrapuram in Ghaziab-ad, was picked up from Tilak Nagar area of West Delhi and taken to the CBI office for questioning.
CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh said the CBI was tracking the accused and “based on information that he was in West Delhi area around 5 pm, he was detained”. No decision has yet been taken on whether to arrest him.
The case was slapped against Joshi and some other unnamed persons for allegedly indulging in corrupt practices and arbitrarily issuing notices to several NGOs, registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), which were receiving foreign contributions, including activist Teesta Setalvad's Sabrang Trust.
Joshi has rejected the charge and accused his seniors of pressuring him to give a clean chit to NGOs. In a note which he had left before leaving home, he claimed he had been subjected to mental harassment.
The matter came to light after files pertaining to alleged FCRA violations by two NGOs run by Ms Setalvad went missing from the home ministry. The files were traced and restored to the FCRA division but CBI was asked to investigate the matter.
It was noticed that the files had gone missing when the ministry decided to cancel FCRA registration of Setalvad's NGOs, Sabrang Trust. Sabrang Trust’s licence was suspended on Septe-mber 9, 2015 by MHA for alleged multiple violations of FCRA rules, including misuse of funds.
When officials found that the files had gone missing, they conducted an inquiry and identified Joshi as the official who had taken away the files. He was summoned and the files were restored.
An Under Secretary is not allowed to take away files, only officials of the rank of Joint Secretary and above are allowed to take the files home. It is a serious violation, the CBI official said.
