|
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against seven accused, including six individuals and the US-based The Timothy Initiative (TTI), over alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, involving foreign funds worth approximately Rs 92.55 crore.
According to the FIR registered by CBI's Economic Offences-II (EO-II), Delhi, the case was registered on August 27, 2026, under Sections 8, 11, 17 and 35 of the FCRA, Section 61 read with Section 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and Sections 65, 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The accused have been identified as Jonathan S Rajan, Micah Mark, Ajit Verghese Mathal, Bablu Kurmi, Supreme Joy, Varghese Chacko, The Timothy Initiative, USA, and unknown persons. The FIR alleges that the accused entered into a criminal conspiracy with TTI and coordinated the withdrawal of foreign funds through various ATMs across India using foreign debit cards issued by Truist Bank, USA. As per the FIR, approximately Rs 92.55 crore (USD 9,995,240) was allegedly withdrawn in contravention of FCRA provisions between November 2025 and April 2026. It further alleges that around Rs 44 crore was withdrawn using foreign debit cards across multiple states, including Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Assam, between January 2024 and March 2026. The FIR further states that Micah Mark was intercepted by the Directorate of Enforcement at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on April 18, 2026, and was allegedly found in possession of 24 foreign debit cards issued by Truist Bank. The cards were allegedly printed in the name of "Santosh Kumar" on the instructions of Ajit Verghese Mathal, allegedly to conceal the identity of the actual users and evade detection. According to the FIR, more than 1,000 such debit cards were allegedly distributed in India over the past few years. It also alleges that after the search proceedings, TTI's global portal became inaccessible in India and data maintained on the cloud and seized laptop was deleted remotely. The FIR alleges that Jonathan S Rajan was the overall operations in-charge of TTI in India and was involved in coordinating the use of funds withdrawn through ATMs for TTI activities, including training and preaching. It further alleges that Ajit Verghese Mathal was involved in the financial operations, while Varghese Chacko, Supreme Joy and Bablu Kurmi allegedly functioned at the field level and withdrew cash using the foreign debit cards. The CBI FIR states that the alleged acts prima facie disclose offences under the FCRA, BNS and the Information Technology Act. (ANI)
|
