ED raids Harsh Mander’s Delhi residence, NGO offices

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday searched the Delhi residence of activist Harsh Mander and offices of non-government organisations he runs. The searches were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. ED has registered a case on the basis of a first information report filed by the Delhi Police and launched a probe, insiders said.

FIRs were filed against two NGOs run by Mander by Delhi Police’s economic offences wing in February for alleged financial irregularities. Child welfare NGOs Umeed Aman Ghar and Khushi Rainbow Home, based in South Delhi, were established by the Centre for Equity Studies run by Mander as trustee member.

The FIR alleged that the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights filed a complaint on February 5, requesting the police to investigate the two homes for children. “During the inspection and inquiry of NCPCR, it has been observed that these homes have been receiving funds from multiple sources, including the state government and private NGOs. Keeping in view the observations made by NCPCR, especially those related to financial irregularities, NCPCR asked the two homes and parent NGO, the Centre for Equity Studies, to submit documents related to the financial grants received by them,” the FIR said.


Mander is believed to have left for Berlin for a fellowship, on Thursday morning. He has been actively involved in anti-CAA protests in Delhi and had quit as an IAS officer after the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The February FIRs also alleged that the two NGOs violated rules governing such bodies. The case was registered under Sections 75 (cruelty to children) and 83(2) (use of children in illegal activities) of the Juvenile Justice Act, while also invoking Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code. Mander had dismissed the allegation as unjustified. “I think it is completely unjustified. We created a very strong system like we had elder women (caretakers) sleeping with smaller children and we have counselling. It is just an allegation and a rumour,” he had said after the FIRs were filed.