The CBI on Friday conducted searches at the offices of Amnesty International India Pvt. Ltd (AIIPL) and Indians for Amnesty International Trust (IAIT) in the national Capital and Bengaluru for alleged violation of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).

The CBI had registered a case on November 5 following a complaint from Union Home Ministry AIIPL, IAIT, Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT) and Amnesty International South Asia Foundation (AISAF) besides unknown others.

“It was alleged that the provision of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 and Indian Penal Code were contravened by the aforesaid entities by receiving foreign contributions from M/s Amnesty International U.K through AIIPL even though prior registration or permissions were denied to M/s Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT) and other Trusts under FCRA,” a CBI official said.

Searches were conducted at three places places in Bengaluru and one place in Delhi.

“The Central Bureau of Investigation today conducted searches at the offices of Amnesty International India Private Limited and Indians for Amnesty International Trust in Bengaluru.

Over the past year, a pattern of harassment has emerged every time Amnesty International India stands up and speaks out against human rights violations in India,” Amnesty India said in a statement.

Amnesty International India stands in full compliance with Indian and international law, Amnesty claimed in its statement.

“Our work in India, as elsewhere, is to uphold and fight for universal human rights. These are the same values that are enshrined in the Indian Constitution and flow from a long and rich Indian tradition of pluralism, tolerance, and dissent,” it said..

As part of the Nobel Prize-winning movement, Amnesty International India holds itself to the highest evidentiary standards. Over four million Indians have supported Amnesty International India’s work in the last six years and around 100,000 Indians have made financial contributions, it added.