MHA suspends ‘Lawyers Collective’s’ FCRA Registration
Very recently, the Home Ministry
suspended for six months the FCRA Registration of ‘Lawyers
Collective’ (LC), an association in which senior advocate and
former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Indira Jaising is secretary
and special prosecutor in the 2G spectrum case Anand Grover is
president, for alleged violations of foreign funding norms.
suspended for six months the FCRA Registration of ‘Lawyers
Collective’ (LC), an association in which senior advocate and
former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Indira Jaising is secretary
and special prosecutor in the 2G spectrum case Anand Grover is
president, for alleged violations of foreign funding norms.
While barring the association from
receiving foreign funds, the MHA gave it 30 days to show-cause why
its FCRA registration should not be cancelled. The Home Ministry had
alleged that there were discrepancies in the foreign contributions
cited by the association in its returns filed with the MHA, and that
Jaising had violated FCRA norms by receiving foreign funds when she
was a government servant.
receiving foreign funds, the MHA gave it 30 days to show-cause why
its FCRA registration should not be cancelled. The Home Ministry had
alleged that there were discrepancies in the foreign contributions
cited by the association in its returns filed with the MHA, and that
Jaising had violated FCRA norms by receiving foreign funds when she
was a government servant.
It also said that the association
had organised rallies or dharnas in
2009, as well as in 2011 and 2014, and that “organising such
rallies/dharnas with
political hue and colour” using foreign funds was not allowed under
FCRA, 1976 that was in force in 2009.
had organised rallies or dharnas in
2009, as well as in 2011 and 2014, and that “organising such
rallies/dharnas with
political hue and colour” using foreign funds was not allowed under
FCRA, 1976 that was in force in 2009.
Jaising, who served as ASG during
the UPA regime, has represented activist Teesta Setalvad in an FCRA
violation case against the latter’s Sabrang Trust and Citizens for
Justice and Peace. She also represented former Gujarat IPS officer
Sanjiv Bhatt in his applications to have a Supreme Court-monitored
SIT probe into two FIRs filed against him by the Gujarat police.
Grover was leading the legal battle for the Supreme Court to hear the
plea of death row convict Yakub Memon hours before he was to be
hanged in July.
the UPA regime, has represented activist Teesta Setalvad in an FCRA
violation case against the latter’s Sabrang Trust and Citizens for
Justice and Peace. She also represented former Gujarat IPS officer
Sanjiv Bhatt in his applications to have a Supreme Court-monitored
SIT probe into two FIRs filed against him by the Gujarat police.
Grover was leading the legal battle for the Supreme Court to hear the
plea of death row convict Yakub Memon hours before he was to be
hanged in July.
According to the order issued by
the Foreigners Division of the Home Ministry: “Based on the
information received from various sources and the scrutiny of records
of the association available with us, prima facie violations of
various provisions of FCRA 2010 were noticed. Whereas, the
reply/comments of the association received on 30.3.2016 along with
the records made available by them as also that available with us
were examined in detail and it was found that the same was not
satisfactory; that the same did not provide adequate explanation
vis-a-vis the violations found and pointed out, and therefore, it has
been decided to reject the same and proceed in accordance with law.”
the Foreigners Division of the Home Ministry: “Based on the
information received from various sources and the scrutiny of records
of the association available with us, prima facie violations of
various provisions of FCRA 2010 were noticed. Whereas, the
reply/comments of the association received on 30.3.2016 along with
the records made available by them as also that available with us
were examined in detail and it was found that the same was not
satisfactory; that the same did not provide adequate explanation
vis-a-vis the violations found and pointed out, and therefore, it has
been decided to reject the same and proceed in accordance with law.”
The order added: “Jaising, while
functioning as ASG from July 2009 to May 5, 2014, received
remuneration of Rs 96.60 lakh, which is admitted by the association
in its reply dated March 30, 2016 by stating that the remuneration of
Rs 81.41 lakh was paid by the association, pursuant to the permission
of the Central government for 59 months (July 2009-May 2014)”
functioning as ASG from July 2009 to May 5, 2014, received
remuneration of Rs 96.60 lakh, which is admitted by the association
in its reply dated March 30, 2016 by stating that the remuneration of
Rs 81.41 lakh was paid by the association, pursuant to the permission
of the Central government for 59 months (July 2009-May 2014)”