CBI books Environics Trust for alleged FCRA violation

The CBI has registered an FIR against Environics Trust for alleged violations of provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act in several bank transfers done in 2018, officials said Thursday.

The central probe agency has also named R Sreedhar and Vanitha Sreedhar of the trust in the FIR, they said.

According to the CBI, Environics Trust (ET) had allegedly transferred Rs 1,250 in the bank accounts of 711 people on November 15, 2020, for distribution among Amphan cyclone-affected people in Odisha but actually the payments were made to protestors for JSW agitation at Dhinkia, Odisha.

”Therefore ET has funded the agitators and is involved in the various activities creating law and order issues in the country. These activities were not as per the object of trust and the same is contrary to the provisions of the FCRA Act, 2010,” he said.

The agency also cited alleged association of the trust with Adivasi Activist Deme Oram who was arrested by the Rourkela Police for rioting and unlawful assembly.

The agency alleged that there were several financial transactions of the trust with Oram in which Rs 30,000 were transferred to his account.

”It can be said that activity of ET are not genuine and are not in accordance with the object of the trust,” it said.