The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting raids at residences and offices of Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising and her husband Anand Grover on charges of an alleged violation of foreign funding rules for their NGO Lawyers Collective.
The searches are reportedly taking place at the Delhi and Mumbai offices of the NGO. However, any details of the location where searches are going on have not yet been disclosed.
The probe agency has accused the couple of violating Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act by misusing foreign contributions and spending the funds outside the country. Earlier, a case was also filed by the CBI against the two.
The raids were conducted in the wee hours of Thursday, July 11, at the Nizamuddin home of Indira Jaising in the national capital, the office of the NGO and another office in Mumbai.
Grover was, however, booked by the CBI for violating rules in receiving foreign aid. When contacted, the husband of former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Indira Jaising asked not to be disturbed as he was in the "midst" of it (searches), reported a news agency.
The probe agency alleged that Indira Jaising received a remuneration of Rs. 96.60 lakh from Lawyers Collective. The Home Ministry complaint alleged that the group had received over Rs 32 crore between 2006 and 2014. According to NDTV's report, the CBI's First Information Report that has been filed on the basis of a Home Ministry complaint does not name Indira Jaising as an accused but the ministry reportedly referred to her alleged role.
Condemning the raids, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "I strongly condemn CBI raids on well-known senior advocates @IJaising and Mr Anand Grover. Let the law take its own course but subjecting veterans who have all through their lives fought for upholding the rule of law and constitutional values is clear vendetta." he tweeted.
