CBI files charge sheet in FCRA bribery racket case; MHA officials named

NEW DELHI: The CBI has filed a charge sheet against Home Ministry officials and others arrested over alleged bribery involved in facilitating clearances of global donations to NGOs in violation of India’s foreign exchange law, officials said Monday.

The central agency’s charge sheet, filed before a special court on Saturday, came within 60 days of the arrests made on May 11, they said, adding the probe is open into a suspected wider conspiracy.

The agency has not included the names of two arrested accused in the charge sheet as the probe is still open, they said.

The agency had registered the case on May 10 against 36 people including seven officials of the Home Ministry’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) division, NIC, some middlemen, and NGO representatives on a complaint from the ministry.

It was alleged that several officials were involved in exchanging bribes for facilitating clearances of foreign donations to NGOs in alleged violation of FCRA rules, agency officials had said.

The CBI had conducted the searches on May 11 at 40 locations across the country and arrested 14 people. (PTI)