Karnataka HC stays proceedings against Amnesty India

The Karnataka High Court on Monday stayed proceedings against Amnesty International India under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and its former director Aakar Patel till the next date of hearing.

Justice Hemant Chandangoudar passed the order while ordering notice to the Enforcement Directorate.

The ED had said that the Amnesty International India Foundation Trust had in 2011-12 been granted permission under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010 for receiving foreign contributions from Amnesty International, UK. The Government later revoked the permission based on adverse inputs.


An earlier note from the Department of Revenue had said security agencies had provided adverse inputs against Amnesty. Amnesty, however, formed two new entities in 2013-14 and 2012-13 and the global nonprofit’s UK arm had infused funds into its Indian entities through the foreign direct investment (FDI) route to evade compliance with FCRA regulations.

Amnesty India, however, has denied any allegation of wrongdoing.

In October 2018, the ED officials had conducted search operations at the Bengaluru offices of Amnesty International on the back of reports that Amnesty International (UK) and other UK-based entities were infusing foreign funds into Amnesty India through commercial channels in violation of FCRA, 2010.