Non-governmental organisation (NGO) Manappat Foundation, which mobilised foreign funds for Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan’s flood rehabilitation scheme – Punarjani – for his constituents in Paravoor, Ernakulam, appears to face legal scrutiny.
Officials on Monday (January 5, 2025) said the Kerala government was legally examining the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) report to the Home department in 2025, which stated that the NGO had violated Rule 19 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) by allegedly failing to maintain records of foreign donations for the Punarjani project and of the utilisation of endowments from abroad.
VACB recommends CBI investigation against Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan for alleged FCRA violation
Officials said the VACB recommended an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the NGO’s chairperson, Ameer Ahammed, concerning “numerous suspicious transactions amounting to ₹1.22 crore” through the foundation’s FRCA account, the current account, and the personal accounts of Mr. Ahammed.
Moreover, officials said, the VACB reported that Manappat Foundation “did not maintain documents or records regarding the receipt or expenditure of foreign funds in violation of Rule 19 of the FCRA. Home department sources said the government was poised to seek legal opinion on how the State should proceed in the matter.
