The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of a complaint filed by the Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) alleging that St Anthony’s Orphanage in Adoni, Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, has been operating child care institutions without mandatory approval under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act while receiving substantial foreign contributions under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).
Acting on the complaint, the NHRC has directed the Joint Secretary (FCRA), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police, Kurnool, to inquire into the allegations and submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within two weeks.
The direction was issued following proceedings before a Bench of the NHRC presided over by Priyank Kanoongo, Member, NHRC, which observed that the allegations made in the complaint prima facie appear to involve violations of the human rights of the victims.
According to the NHRC’s communication dated June 2, the Commission has taken cognisance of the matter under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
The complaint submitted by LRPF alleged that St Anthony’s Orphanage, located in Adoni, has been running child care institutions without legal approval under the Juvenile Justice Act while simultaneously receiving significant foreign contributions under the FCRA.
The complaint further alleged that the orphanage does not figure among the registered Child Care Institutions maintained by the competent authorities, despite publicly presenting itself as an organisation engaged in orphan welfare.
The Bench of the National Human Rights Commission, presided over by Shri @KanoongoPriyank, Hon'ble Member, has taken cognizance of the complaint filed by the Legal Rights Protection Forum concerning serious allegations relating to the functioning of St Anthony's Orphanage and its… https://t.co/2k0wAtN9H6 pic.twitter.com/YyJsVOZLuX
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) July 3, 2026
It also claimed that the institution operates separate homes for boys and girls and has financial and administrative linkages with other NGOs affiliated with the Church linked Kurnool Diocese.
According to the complaint, these allegations raise concerns regarding child safety, possible misuse of foreign contributions, and violations of statutory child protection laws. The forum requested the Commission to order an inquiry and inspection into the functioning of the institution and examine the utilisation of foreign contributions and compliance with the Juvenile Justice Act.
After examining the complaint, the NHRC observed that the allegations prima facie appeared to disclose possible violations of the human rights of the victims.
The Commission further directed that a copy of the report be sent to the Bench through the prescribed channel and instructed the concerned public authorities to submit their responses through the HRCNet Portal, the NHRC’s online platform for official communications. It also stated that reports or responses sent through email would not be entertained.
The NHRC’s action follows the complaint filed by LRPF, which cited RTI responses, FCRA records and other publicly available documents while seeking an investigation into the functioning of the orphanage and its alleged links with Diocese-affiliated organisations.
