The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a chargesheet against non-governmental organisation Oxfam India and its executive director Amitabh Behar for alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, reported The Indian Express on Thursday.

Registration under the Act is mandatory for non-profit organisations in India to receive foreign funds.

In an order on January 9, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Nishant Garg of the Rouse Avenue Courts set March 4 as the date of consideration on the chargesheet, according to the newspaper.

Oxfam India was among 5,932 non-government organisations whose registrations under the Act had lapsed on January 1, 2022, either because they did not apply for renewal or the home ministry refused to sanction their applications for renewal.

Oxfam India falls in the latter category. The organisation is the India arm of the global non-profit organisation Oxfam International.

In April 2023, the Central Bureau of Investigation registered a first information report against Oxfam India and its office-bearers for alleged violations of the Act. Searches were also carried out at the non-governmental organisation’s office in Delhi.

The case was registered based on a complaint filed by the Ministry of Home Affairs Director (Foreigners-II Division) Jeetendar Chadha.

Chadha had alleged that email communications found during an income tax survey showed that Oxfam India had been planning to pressure the Indian government to renew its FCRA registration through foreign governments and institutions.

“Oxfam India has the reach and influence to request multilateral foreign organisations to intervene on its behalf with the government of India,” Chadha alleged. “This exposed Oxfam India as a probable instrument of the foreign policy of foreign organisations/entities which have funded Oxfam India liberally over the years.”

The action came a week after the Union home ministry recommended an inquiry by the central agency against Oxfam India.

The investigation was recommended after the home ministry alleged that Oxfam India continued to transfer foreign contributions to other entities even after the Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Act 2020 came into force. The amended law prohibits such transfers.

Responding to this, Oxfam India had said that it is fully compliant with Indian laws and has filed all its compliances, including Foreign Contribution Regulation Act returns, in a timely manner since its inception.