The Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) has approached the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), seeking a comprehensive investigation into the foreign contributions received by Madurai based Evangelical Church Growth Mission (ECGM) in Tamil Nadu, from two US-based missionary organisations — The Timothy Initiative Inc., USA and Gospelink Inc., USA — in light of a recent ED-linked FIR that has named The Timothy Initiative USA as an accused entity in an alleged nationwide foreign funding network.
In a representation on June 18, addressed to the ED, LRPF alleged that Madurai based Evangelical Church Growth Mission (ECGM), an FCRA-registered society, maintained substantial and long-standing financial relationships with the two US missionary organisations.
Common Leadership Raises Questions
According to the complaint, a US national Mr David Nelms serves as the Founder and Director of The Timothy Initiative Inc., USA, while simultaneously serving as a Director of Gospelink Inc., USA.
LRPF alleged that both organisations pursue substantially similar missionary objectives and appear to be closely interconnected through common leadership.
The LPRF contended that the existence of common leadership and funding from multiple interlinked foreign entities pursuing similar objectives warrants detailed scrutiny by competent authorities.
Nearly ₹4.49 Crore Received from US Missionary Organisations
Referring to FCRA returns, LRPF stated that The Timothy Initiative Inc., USA transferred approximately ₹32.79 lakh to Evangelical Church Growth Mission during the period from 2014-15 to 2017-18, while Gospelink Inc., USA transferred approximately ₹4.16 crore between 2010-11 and 2018-19.
LRPF claims that these transactions establish a substantial, continuous and long-standing financial relationship between ECGM and the two US-based missionary organisations.
The complaint further alleged that Joshua Vijay Kumar alias Rev. J. Joshua Vijaykumar, Secretary of Evangelical Church Growth Mission (ECGM), has been closely associated with the activities of The Timothy Initiative in India.
LRPF Research Findings on The Timothy Initiative's Tamil Nadu Operations and Funding Connections.
Legal Rights Protection Forum has submitted a complaint to the Directorate of Enforcement regarding foreign funding received by Evangelical Church Growth Mission(ECGM), Madurai,… pic.twitter.com/rT5N6d0gua
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) June 18, 2026
LRPF urged the ED to examine the precise nature and extent of this association, including any leadership, coordination or operational role.
Complaint Linked to ED FIR Registered in Bengaluru
The representation gains significance in view of FIR dated June 11, 2026, registered by Kothanur Police Station, Bengaluru, on a complaint lodged by Enforcement Directorate.
The FIR invokes provisions under Sections 318(4), 335A(ii), 336(3), 238, 61(2) and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with Sections 13, 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.
The FIR names several accused, including Jonathan S. Rajan, Micah Mark, Ajit Verghese Mathai, Varghese Chacko, Bablu Kurmi, Supreme Joy, and The Timothy Initiative USA and others.
FIR Alleges Nationwide Foreign Debit Card Network
According to LRPF, the FIR alleges the existence of a nationwide network involving the use of foreign-issued debit cards for withdrawal and distribution of funds in India.
The FIR reportedly alleges that approximately ₹92.55 crore was utilised through this mechanism during the period under investigation and that more than 1,000 foreign-issued debit cards were deployed across India.
The complaint further alleges that approximately ₹44 crore was withdrawn and distributed across multiple states, including Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Assam, through foreign-issued debit cards.
According to the FIR, enforcement authorities allegedly recovered 24 foreign-issued debit cards from one of the accused and discovered that several such cards had been issued under the name “Santosh Kumar”, while others were marked under regional identifiers such as “NE-1”, “NE-2”, “Southern Region-1”, among others. The FIR further alleges that over the years, more than 1,000 such debit cards had been distributed across India.
The FIR also alleges that after enforcement action commenced, access to the TTI Global portal (www.ttiglobal.org) for Indian users was disabled and that operational data stored on servers managed by The Timothy Initiative in the United States was remotely deleted, allegedly resulting in destruction of evidence.
Alleged Operations in Maoist-Affected Regions
The complaint further points to allegations in the FIR regarding the use of foreign-issued debit cards in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas, particularly in districts of Chhattisgarh.
According to the FIR, suspicious cash transactions amounting to approximately ₹6.34 crore were traced in Maoist-affected regions. The FIR further alleges that around ₹3.2 crore, comprising approximately 3,200 transactions of ₹10,000 each, involved cash withdrawals through foreign debit cards.
The FIR reportedly alleges that cash withdrawals were carried out in Maoist-affected areas through networks of local operatives and that foreign funds originating from The Timothy Initiative USA were utilised in these regions. The complaint states that such activities are being examined under provisions of the UAPA.
Expenditure Exceeding ₹95 Crore Under Scanner
The FIR also reportedly refers to expenditure records exceeding ₹95 crore, allegedly maintained through accounting software hosted on QuickBooks.com. According to the FIR, the expenditure records pertain to activities undertaken between November 2025 and April 2026.
The FIR further alleges that the accused persons, acting in concert with The Timothy Initiative USA, utilised foreign-issued debit cards to channel overseas funds into India, distributed such cards to numerous individuals, and facilitated the transfer and utilisation of foreign funds without mandatory approvals or disclosures under Indian law.
In light of these serious allegations, LRPF urged the Enforcement Directorate to undertake a comprehensive investigation into the foreign contributions received by the Madurai-based Evangelical Church Growth Mission (ECGM) from The Timothy Initiative Inc., USA and Gospelink Inc., USA.
The forum also requested the ED to examine the role of Joshua Vijay Kumar alias Rev. J. Joshua Vijaykumar, Secretary of ECGM, in relation to The Timothy Initiative’s activities in India.
LRPF sought an inquiry into the precise nature of his association with the US-based missionary organisation, including any leadership, coordination or operational responsibilities.
LRPF General Secretary A.S. Santhosh, speaking to Organiser, said that there are serious allegations suggesting that Joshua Vijay Kumar alias Rev. J. Joshua Vijaykumar, Secretary of ECGM, could be functioning as a head of The Timothy Initiative’s operations in India and may be one of the principal figures in this alleged financial network working against the interests of the nation. He alleged that operating such a vast network under the guise of religious and church activities could have been aimed at evading scrutiny by security agencies and civil society.
Further, LRPF called for a scrutiny of the utilisation of foreign contributions received from the two US organisations and sought an investigation into whether any office bearers, employees, volunteers or partner organisations associated with ECGM had links with the individuals, entities, activities or financial mechanisms referred to in the FIR.
This sort of underground financial network, which allegedly operates outside the law by choice under the guise of church and evangelical charity, appears to reflect a well-designed strategy to project the narrative that Christian organisations are being targeted during BJP rule while concealing alleged violations of the law.
The more concerning aspect, according to critics, is that when the Government of India introduced stricter measures regarding FCRA compliance and foreign funding, sections of the Church, particularly from Kerala, objected, alleging that missionary organisations were being unfairly targeted.
However, it appears that the recent FIR, along with the alleged financial network involving a Tamil Nadu-based church organisation, raises serious questions about whether religious institutions are being used as a cover by certain elements to carry out unlawful activities through proxy networks aimed at destabilising the country.
Critics further point out that Maoist organisations are banned in India, and the allegations in the FIR regarding the use of more than 1,000 foreign-issued debit cards, including in Left Wing Extremism-affected regions, suggest possible attempts to circumvent the laws of the land under the cover of religious activities.
“In Bharat, religion and places of worship traditionally command deep respect and are generally subjected to lower levels of financial scrutiny by both the government and civil society because of the country’s worship-centric culture. According to them, this trust should not be misused by any organisation or individual to engage in activities that violate Indian laws.”
