The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids on a pastor in Jaipur under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) over the alleged misuse of foreign funds received from a US-based donor for proselytisation and conversion activities among SC-Valmiki and ST-Bhill communities in the city and tribal-dominated South Rajasthan, respectively, the federal agency said on Saturday.
The financial crimes probe agency said in a statement that it had intelligence about the activities of pastor Ravi Mohan Pahadiya, a Protestant missionary affiliated with Hope Ministry, who was allegedly illegally receiving foreign funds to the tune of ₹ 2.20 crore (approximately), primarily from a US-based donor, Thomas Eugene Lynch. 2.34 Crore (approximately) mainly by showing purpose of business and management consultancy and public relations services and inward remittance from Indian non-residents towards family maintenance and savings, out of which most of the funds was received from Thomas E Lynch, a USA based donor,” the ED said. “Investigation revealed that Ravi Mohan Pahadiya and his wife Gunjan Sharma received total foreign funds to the tune of Rs. The government, in March this year, introduced a new FCRA Bill that vests assets tied to foreign funds with the designated authority.
Any individual or organisation receiving foreign funds has to be registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Licences or prior permission to receive and use foreign funds are granted by the foreigners division of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It has been sent to a joint parliamentary committee for detailed scrutiny. Opposition parties, sections of civil society and religious organisations have argued that the amendments, if cleared, would give the government broad control.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has said that some provisions in the new law and rules “could affect charitable institutions that have served poor and vulnerable communities for decades”.
