The CBI has initiated legal action against Environics Trust (ET), an NGO, and its top officials for allegedly violating the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) norms. The agency accuses the NGO of diverting relief funds intended for those affected by the Amphan cyclone in Odisha to individuals protesting against the JSW project site at Dhinkia in the state. The FIR names Environics Trust, its managing director R Sreedhar, and its director (finance).
The FIR alleges that on November 15, 2020, Environics Trust transferred Rs 1,250 each to the bank accounts of 711 people for distribution among those affected by the Amphan cyclone in Odisha. However, the funds were purportedly redirected to protestors involved in the JSW agitation at Dhinkia, Odisha. The CBI contends that by funding these agitators, ET engaged in activities leading to law and order issues, contrary to the FCRA Act, 2010.
The agency further implicates the trust by associating it with Adivasi Activist Deme Oram, who faced arrest by Rourkela Police for rioting and unlawful assembly. The FIR alleges financial transactions between ET and Deme Oram, suggesting that the NGO’s activities were not genuine and did not align with its stated objectives. The CBI’s investigation seeks to examine the financial transactions and activities of Environics Trust to determine the extent of FCRA violations.
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