Plea to probe 'foreign funding' of Team Anna: Delhi HC seeks report

NEW DELHI: The Centre was today asked by the Delhi High Court to file a status report on a representation to it for a CBI probe into the alleged foreign funding of Team Anna for spearheading an anti-graft stir here.

A division bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Rajiv Sahai Endlaw granted three weeks to the Union home ministry to file the report after Additional Solicitor General Rajeev Mehra told the bench that "the ministry is under the process of filing the status report."

The bench gave the direction on an application by Manohar Lal Sharma, an advocate, who said the government has failed to file the status report within three months after considering his representation on the issue.

The bench had directed the Centre on May 30 to treat Sharma's plea to the court for probe into the alleged foreign funding of anti-graft campaigner Team Anna as a representation and dispose it of in three months and file a status report after considering the representation.

In his petition, Sharma had alleged that Team Anna got foreign funding in violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).

Sharma had said FCRA stipulates the Central government's permission for receiving foreign funding, but Team Anna has got the same without the requisite permission and the Centre has failed to act against them.

Citing a list of some foreign organisations as alleged donors, the lawyer had sought the court order to declare the agitation launched by Team Anna as illegal.

"Court be pleased to declare foreign-sponsored agitation as illegal, unconstitutional...," Sharma said, also seeking prosecution of the members of Team Anna under FCRA.