On April 5, the Ministry of Home Affairs recommended a CBI probe into alleged violations by the non-profit Oxfam. Official ceased their FCRA (Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act) registration last year only in December 2021.
Oxfam allegedly dodged FCRA by routing funds through other routes. The complaint by the home ministry is now part of the FIR.
On April 6, Oxfam India issued a statement, “fully compliant with Indian laws and has filed all its statutory compliances, including FCRA returns, in a timely manner since its inception” after MHA ordered the probe.
The officials said, “Email communication found during IT (income tax) survey by the CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) shows that Oxfam India has been planning to pressure Indian government for renewal of FCRA through foreign governments and foreign institutions”.
The FIR states that during a survey conducted by the income tax division at its office in September 2020, it was discovered that Oxfam India was “planning to pressurise” the Indian Government for the renewal of its FCRA licence through foreign governments and organisations.
It adds: “Though Oxfam India’s FCRA registration has ceased, it planned to circumvent FCRA by routing funds through other routes. From the email found during the IT survey by the CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) it appears that Oxfam India is providing funds to the Centre for Policy Research through its associates/employees in the form of commission”.
The FIR further states that Oxfam India continued to “pay sub grants to various partners” even after the FCRA’s 2020 amendment, which prohibited such transfers under Section 7.
According to the FIR, Oxfam India continued to “pay sub grants to various partners” even after the 2020 amendment to the FCRA, which outlawed such transfers under Section 7.
This FIR also claims, “It appears that Oxfam India used to route funds of its foreign affiliates such as Oxfam Australia, Oxfam Great Britain etc. in India to selected NGOs and at the same time exercising control over funds and projects. From emails found during an IT survey by the CBDT, it appears that Oxfam India was planning to route funds to other FCRA registered associations or through the for-profit consultancy route”.
Furthermore, it claims that between 2013 and 2016, Oxfam India received Rs 1.50 crore in international contributions directly in its account rather than through the FCRA-designated account.
In September 2022, the IT department conducted surveys in 100 places throughout the country, including CPR headquarters, the Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF), Oxfam, and the properties of businesses and other individuals.
Oxfam states it works on issues such as poverty, inequality, gender justice and climate change. They denied any wrongdoings and said it was “compliant with Indian laws and has filed all its statutory compliances, including income tax and FCRA returns, in a timely manner since its inception”.
