CHRI is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) working in the field of human rights, and has produced several reports drawing attention to the progress and setbacks to human rights in Commonwealth countries.
The NGO’s FCRA registration had been suspended by the Centre in June 2021 for 180 days. Though it was communicated by the NGO that there was no violation of the FCRA or FCRA Rules, and therefore the suspension should be revoked, the Centre in December 2021 extended the suspension by another 180 days.
That same month, a show-cause notice was served to CHRI, and it was communicated that an audit of their books of accounts revealed multiple FCRA violations.
In a nutshell, the alleged violations were:
– The activities/projects for which foreign contribution was received and utilised by CHRI have not been disclosed;
– A bank account opened in Delhi in February 2016, to which there is a flow of foreign contribution, has not been intimated online to the Ministry;
– One account through which the Association has been utilizing foreign contribution has not been intimated in annual reports for the Financial Years 2016-2017 and 2017-2018;
– CHRI refunded some foreign contributions back to the donor in FYs 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 in violation of Section 8(1)(a) of the FCRA, 2010.
Source: Barandbench
