Teesta Setalvad's SCPPP may be probed by CBI

New Delhi, June 26: Will the Central Bureau of Investigation be roped in to probe the foreign funds received by Sabrang Communication and Publishing Private Limited. The SCPPL which is incidentally run by activist Teesta Setalavad may be subject to a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation if the Home Ministry clears it.

The Home Ministry is debating on whether to hand over the probe to the CBI as there are alleged violations which have an international ramification. It feels that the remittances which are allegedly violative of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act need to be probed by a professional agency.

The Home Ministry is most likely to hand over the probe into the funding of SCPPL to the CBI. There are certain issues that are being discussed by the Union Home Ministry and once these are cleared the Central Bureau of Investigation may be roped in.

The Home Ministry had placed under watch the SCPPL after complaints from Gujarat about funds being diverted for purposes other than intended were made. It was also found that the provisions of the FCRA were violated and the organization did not have the sanction to receive such funds.

The Ford Foundation link:

A CBI probe into this case becomes necessary since the alleged source of funding is from abroad. It was found that Ford Foundation had allegedly sent funds to the SCPPL. The Home Ministry which is looking into the matter found that remittances from abroad were in violation of the FCRA.

Sources in the ministry state that violations under the FCRA can be probed by the CBI. This is a case which has international ramifications and the CBI is best equipped to handle the case.

Showcause notice:

The Home Ministry had issued a show cause notice to the organization run by Tessta Setalvad. In its show cause notice it had asked for the following questions to be answered.

-Were donations received by SCPPL from the Ford Foundation diverted?
-Were foreign journalists and editors funded by the SCPPL? - -Were all the funds used for the purpose it was meant for?
- Were secretaries to two other NGOs, CJP and Sabrang trust provided using the money from the same corpus fund.
-Were SCPPL, CJP and Sabrang trust functioning out of the same office?

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