Centre cancels FCRA registration of NGO named Centre for Financial Accountability
New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has cancelled the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of the Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA), an NGO that monitors and critically analyses the role of financial institutions and their impact on development, human rights, and the environment.
In a recent report, CFA highlighted the environmental hazards and increased health risks associated with additional projects sanctioned in a Special Economic Zone operated by the Adani Group in the Kutch region of Gujarat. The report warned of further environmental pollution and ecological degradation in the area.
Joe Athialy, Executive Director of CFA, told The Hindu that they had not yet received official orders cancelling the FCRA registration of CACIM (India Institute for Critical Action Centre in Movement), CFA's parent entity, but were informed online. Athialy suggested that the stated reason for the cancellation—incorrect financial filings for 2018 and 2019—was a pretext to suppress their critical work.
“We have been told that the cancellation is due to incorrect filings [of returns] for financial years 2018 and 2019. This may be just an excuse, as they had all the years to ask us to rectify the mistakes. We certainly believe that the work we did has contributed to this action,” Athialy said.
Athialy added that the government appears intent on silencing organizations critical of its actions but emphasized that CFA would continue its work through innovative methods, including domestic donations.
Earlier in January, the MHA cancelled the FCRA registration of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), a prominent public policy research institution in New Delhi. Since 2015, more than 16,000 NGOs have had their FCRA registrations cancelled for various violations. As of Wednesday, there were 15,946 active FCRA-registered NGOs in India. The registrations of nearly 6,000 NGOs ceased to operate from January 1, 2022, due to non-renewal or refusal by the MHA.
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Goa nightclub fire: Owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra fled to Phuket after tragedy, say police
Panaji (PTI): Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, the main accused and owners of the Goa nightclub where a massive blaze claimed 25 lives, fled to Phuket hours after the tragedy, Goa Police said on Monday.
"Goa Police have taken further steps to coordinate with the Interpol Division of the CBI to apprehend both Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra at the earliest," a senior police officer said.
A massive fire at the nightclub, some 25 kilometres away from Panaji, on late Saturday night killed 25 persons. The deceased comprised 20 employees of the nightclub and five tourists, including four from Delhi. Five injured people were undergoing treatment at the government-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
After registering an FIR against them, a Look Out Circular was issued against them by December 7 by the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) at the request of the Goa Police.
The Bureau of Immigration at Mumbai was contacted, and it was found that both the accused had taken the 6E 1073 flight to Phuket at 5.30 am on December 7, immediately after the fire incident, which occurred around midnight, the officer said.
READ ALSO: Goa nightclub fire: Owner Saurabh Luthra expresses grief, assures management support
He said the Goa Police had immediately dispatched a team to Delhi to conduct raids on the addresses of the accused Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra.
"Since they were not available, a notice under the appropriate sections of law was pasted on the gate of their house. This shows their intent to avoid the police investigation", he said.
Goa Police have obtained transit remand of Bharat Kohli, an employee of the club, and are bringing him to Goa.
He also said that the postmortem on all 25 deceased has been completed and bodies handed over to their families.
