CBI raids lawyers Indira Jaising, and Anand Grover in foreign funding case

Senior Supreme Court lawyers Indira Jaising and her husband Anand Grover were raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday, which has accused them of violating a law on foreign funding rules for their NGO Lawyers Collective.

Raids started at around 5 am at the home of Indira Jaising in Delhi’s Nizamuddin, the office of the NGO and another office in Mumbai. The CBI had earlier filed a case against Anand Grover and his NGO Lawyers Collective for alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).

The investigating agency’s First Information Report, filed on the basis of a Home Ministry complaint, does not name Indira Jaising as an accused but the ministry reportedly referred to her alleged role. The CBI case says Indira Jaising received a remuneration of Rs. 96.60 lakh from Lawyers Collective.

Anand Grover and his NGO have been accused of misusing foreign contributions and spending the funds outside India. When contacted, Anand Grover asked not to be disturbed as he was in the “midst” of it (searches). The Home Ministry complaint alleged that the group had received over Rs. 32 crore between 2006 and 2014. Irregularities were noticed in 2010, it said.

“Mr. Grover and I are being targeted for the human rights work that we have done over the years,” said Indira Jaising.

According to the agency, the CBI’s case involves contributions to the NGO when Indira Jaising was Additional Solicitor General between 2009 and 2014. The expenses of her foreign trips at the time were from the NGO without Home Ministry approval.

Lawyers Collective has strongly denied the charges. Indira Jaising, Anand Grover and Lawyers Collective had issued a press statement rejecting the allegations.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal condemned the raids. He tweeted, “I strongly condemn CBI raids on well-known senior advocates @IJaising and Mr. Anand Grover. Let the law take its own course but subjecting veterans who have all through their lives fought for upholding the rule of law and constitutional values are a clear vendetta.”