The home ministry has reportedly slapped a show-cause notice on an NGO run by Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising for alleged contravention of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
A Home Ministry spokesperson said, "Yes, the Home Ministry has served a show cause notice to Ms Indira Jaising under FCRA."
In the notice the centre had alleged that her NGO 'Lawyers Collective' received foreign contribution between 2006-07 and 2013-14 and was misappropriated in the annual returns. Incidentally, they said period is when Jaising served as the Additional Solicitor General during the tenure of the UPA government.
However, a statement issued by 'Lawyers Collective' and Jaising said, "Neither I nor the Lawyers Collective has received any notice from you under FCRA relating to allegations about violation of the FCRA or any other law. As and when it is received, it will be responded in accordance with law."
Business Standard quotes jaising saying, "I am indeed surprised that the notice seems to have been released to the press, even before it is served on Lawyers Collective or me or before I or the Lawyers Collective have had an opportunity to respond to it.
"I am constrained to come to the conclusion that this is an exercise in creating a negative public perception about me and the Lawyers Collective and not about the alleged violations of law. If it has indeed been issued, you are requested to send it to the registered address of the Lawyers Collective, if it pertains to the Lawyers Collective, or to me if it pertains to me so that an appropriate reply can be made," she further added.
TOI reported that the government had sent a standard questionnaire to the NGO asking details of its bank accounts and designated FCRA account after receiving a complaint received by the home ministry.
In a reply, the NGO had said that they will reply within the set deadline of December 7.