CBI Probe on Sonam Wangchuk for Alleged FCRA Violation

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started an inquiry into Ladakh-based climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk and an institution he founded, the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL), for alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). The investigation follows a complaint received from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) about two months ago. Though the probe is ongoing, no formal First Information Report (FIR) has been registered yet.

The alleged violations pertain to the receipt of foreign funds without proper clearance required under the FCRA. According to Wangchuk, the funds in question were payments from institutions like the United Nations, a Swiss university, and an Italian organisation for knowledge export and services provided by his institution. He maintained that the organization does not rely on foreign funds, but rather raises revenue through international collaborations, some of which were misunderstood as foreign contributions. The CBI team has been investigating financial records for the years 2022 to 2024, with some requests extending beyond that period, sparking concerns about the scope of the inquiry.

Wangchuk also highlighted that the inquiry has extended into another institution he is associated with, the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), which provides free education to underprivileged students along with stipends for student work on projects.

This investigation closely follows political tensions in Ladakh, where protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status escalated into violence, resulting in several casualties and extensive property damage. The MHA has stated that Wangchuk’s speeches during a hunger strike, which started on September 10, were provocative and incited the violence. The government has said that the demands Wangchuk advocated for are already part of ongoing formal discussions with local representatives, and his continued hunger strike misled the public.

Wangchuk has alleged a campaign against him and his institutions, citing previous sedition cases, land lease cancellation orders, income tax summons, and now the CBI probe. He described the situation as being under pressure from multiple fronts despite voluntary compliance with tax regulations in Ladakh, a region generally exempt from certain taxes.

This inquiry into FCRA violations comes at a politically sensitive time in Ladakh, with demands for greater autonomy stirring unrest. The CBI probe into Sonam Wangchuk’s institutions reflects the government's growing scrutiny of activists who play significant roles in regional political movements. While the CBI is tasked with ensuring compliance with financial laws such as the FCRA—meant to regulate foreign funding to maintain transparency and national security—the timing and manner of this investigation have raised questions among supporters of Wangchuk, who see it as part of a wider effort to suppress dissent.

The FCRA, which requires organizations receiving foreign funds to be registered and compliant, has been a tool for the government to oversee NGO activities but has also been criticized for being used to restrict legitimate activism. Wangchuk’s defense that the funds were payments for knowledge export rather than donations suggests complexities in interpreting the law amid growing international collaborations in education and activism.

At the same time, care should be taken to ensure that such probes do not inadvertently hinder the work of institutions engaged in socially beneficial activities, especially in remote and geopolitically sensitive areas like Ladakh.

In conclusion, the CBI's ongoing probe into Sonam Wangchuk's institutions is a significant development amidst a politically volatile environment. The outcome will be closely watched as it may set precedents for how activist organizations are scrutinized under financial laws, and how steps are balanced between enforcement and protecting democratic freedoms in India.

With inputs from agencies

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