The CBI on Friday raided the home and office of former IAS officer Harsh Mander, a vocal critic of the Narendra Modi government’s policies, prompting academics and rights activists to allege an attempt to “intimidate and silence” every dissenter in the country.

“CBI has registered a case against the NGO Centre for Equity Studies and its chairperson-cum-secretary Harsh Mander on allegations of violations of the provisions of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) 2010,” a CBI statement said.

“Searches are being conducted today at two locations in Delhi including official and residential premises of the accused.”

The CBI added: “It has been alleged that the NGO had transferred Rs 32,71,915 (approx), other than salary/ wages/ remuneration, from its FCRA account into the account of individual(s) during 2020-21 in violation of the provisions of FCRA, 2010.”

The CBI statement said: “It has also been alleged that the NGO had also diverted funds from its FCRA account through the firm(s) in violation of the provisions of FCRA, 2010.”

Last June, the Narendra Modi government had suspended the FCRA licence of the Centre for Equity Studies (CES), an independent think tank engaged in advocating issues of social justice, for alleged FCRA violations. An FCRA licence is mandatory for any NGO or association to receive foreign funds.

Over 250 prominent citizens on Friday issued a statement condemning the “witch-hunt” and “continued victimisation and intimidation” of Mander by government agencies and demanded the closure of the FIR filed by the CBI and all other investigations.

“We the undersigned unequivocally condemn the continued victimisation and intimidation of Dr Harsh Mander. We are deeply disturbed by the raid on the morning of 2nd February, 2024 at the residence of Dr Harsh Mander and on-going raid on the Centre for Equity Studies, the organisation founded by Dr Harsh Mander,” the statement said.

“Harsh Mander is a widely respected and internationally acclaimed human rights activist who has taken up issues of those most oppressed. Today’s raid is a part of the long chain of harassment of Dr Harsh Mander, his colleagues, his family and former and present board members of the Centre for Equity Studies.

“It is important to know that since 2020 multiple investigating agencies of the government including National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Delhi police’s economic offences wing, income tax (IT) authorities, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and now the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) have been carrying out what can only be described as a vindictive witch-hunt.

“In not a single case has a chargesheet been presented in a court of law. These egregious attacks on Harsh Mander and the CES are an attack on all of civil society in India and all those who work to promote constitutional values.”

The statement added: “It is clear from the FIR No. RC2202024 E0002/EO II/N.D. under sections 35 r/w 7,8,12(4) (a) (vi) and section 39 of FCRA Act 2010 invoked by the CBI, that the charges being brought under Mr Mander are entirely fabricated and without any material basis.

“We demand the closure of all investigations including the CBI FIR against Harsh Mander, his colleagues and the CES. Speaking on the raids, Dr Mander said that he was further strengthened in his resolve and added that ‘my life, my writings and my work are my only response’. We stand in solidarity with Dr Mander, in his determined resolve to preserve the principles and values of constitutional India.”

The signatories included Admiral L. Ramdas, former Indian Navy chief; Jean Dreze, economist; Syeda S. Hameed, former member of the Planning Commission; and social activists Medha Patkar and Aruna Roy, among others.

Mander has been a thorn in the ruling dispensation’s flesh, seeking action against BJP leaders for allegedly inciting the February 2020 Delhi riots and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act. He has also accused the Centre of targeting political opponents with its agencies.

In September 2021, the Enforcement Directorate raided Mander’s home and his office at the CES along with two children’s homes in Mehrauli, south Delhi, with which the CES is associated, in connection with a money-laundering probe.

The ED had said the raids were conducted on the basis of an FIR registered by the Delhi police’s economic offences wing (EOW) after the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) alleged financial irregularities following inspections of the two children’s homes.