CBI raids offices of Amnesty India in New Delhi and Bengaluru

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday raided the Bengaluru and New Delhi offices of Amnesty International India over alleged irregularities in foreign funding in connection with violation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

The raids come a year after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided two premises of Amnesty International over alleged violation of India’s foreign exchange laws.

In a press statement, Amnesty said “over the past year, a pattern of harassment has emerged every time Amnesty India stands up and speaks out against human rights violations in India.”

“Amnesty India stands in full compliance with Indian and international law. Our work in India, as elsewhere, is to uphold and fight for universal human rights. These are the same values that are enshrined in the Indian Constitution and flow from a long and rich Indian tradition of pluralism, tolerance, and dissent,” the statement said.

It added that “as part of the Nobel Prize-winning movement, Amnesty India holds itself to the highest evidentiary standards. Over four million Indians have supported Amnesty India’s work in the last six years and around 100,000 Indians have made financial contributions.”