CBI files supplementary charge sheet against Talwar over FCRA violation

The CBI has filed a supplementary charge sheet against aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar and others for alleged violation under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by his non-profit organisation ? Advantage India. The charge sheet names Talwar, his wife Deepa Talwar, Advantage India, besides Girish Vaid, Krishan Kumar Nair, Tarun Kumar Kapoor, Archana Kapoor, and Pran Nath Monga.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a supplementary charge sheet against aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar and others for alleged violation under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by his non-profit organisation — Advantage India, people familiar with the matter said.

Advantage India had received ₹90.72 crore under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme for carrying out social activities but the money was diverted for some other purposes, a CBI spokesperson had said earlier (AFP)

The first charge sheet in the case was filed in March 2020 and the second on May 3. The charge sheet names Talwar, his wife Deepa Talwar, Advantage India, besides Girish Vaid, Krishan Kumar Nair, Tarun Kumar Kapoor, Archana Kapoor, and Pran Nath Monga. The information about the new charge sheet became public on Thursday.

Advantage India had received ₹90.72 crore under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme for carrying out social activities but the money was diverted for some other purposes, a CBI spokesperson had said earlier.

An FIR was registered in the matter in November 2017 naming Talwar, his NGO, a company M/s Accordis Health Care Pvt Ltd and its representative Sunil Khandelwal and MD Raman Kapoor, a consultant M/s T Kapoor and unknown persons for criminal conspiracy, forgery and Sections 33, 35 and 37 of FCRA.

The ministry of home affairs had asked the CBI to investigate the matter. The agency had arrested him in July 2019 and interrogated him at length.

Talwar is under investigation in connection with several aviation deals as well. He was first arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in January 2019 after he was deported from Dubai in another case related to an aviation scandal.

He allegedly acted as a middleman to secure favourable air traffic rights for foreign private airlines in 2008-09 at the cost of national carrier Air India by conniving with government officials. Talwar’s son Aditya Talwar is also under investigation in the aviation cases. He is currently based in Antigua and Barbuda.

In the FCRA case against Advantage, there are allegations of “misutilisation of foreign contributions” which were received under the corporate social responsibility scheme for the purpose of carrying out educational and social activities in India.

“The funds were allegedly received mainly from a foreign-based company to the tune of ₹90.72 crore (approx) in the bank accounts of a New Delhi-based private firm/ NGO registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 for carrying out social welfare activities in the field of education,” the CBI spokesperson had said after the FIR was filed on November 16, 2017.

Advantage India received a total foreign contribution amounting to ₹90.72 crore, during 2012-13 to 2015-16, and also received bank interest amounting to ₹6.69 crore on foreign contributions during the said period.