New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at two premises in Jaisalmer as part of a probe into the alleged misuse of foreign funds received from a Belgium-based non-profit organisation. The agency said two individuals allegedly received more than Rs 5 crore from abroad and used the funds for activities linked to proselytisation and religious conversion among vulnerable sections of society.
The searches were carried out by the ED’s Jaipur zonal office on Saturday under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999. According to the agency, the investigation concerns foreign donations of around Rs 5.10 crore allegedly received without the required FCRA registration and used for purposes different from those declared.
The ED identified the two individuals as Deu Ram, a resident of Jaisalmer, and his associate Gyan Chand. The agency said its investigation found that the duo received funds from abroad by declaring purposes such as educational services, cultural and recreational activities, and remittances from non-resident Indians for family maintenance and savings.
Belgium-Based NGO Under ED Scanner
A major portion of the funds allegedly came from Amar ASBL, a non-profit organisation based in Brussels, Belgium. According to the ED, the organisation was established in 2011 and is managed by Belgian nationals Jose Goffinet and his son Salian Goffinet.
The agency said Amar ASBL has been operating in Jaisalmer for around 14-15 years through Deu Ram and Gyan Chand, despite not having a registered trust or NGO in India.
The organisation describes itself online as a Belgian NGO supporting the education of children in India. Its website states that the initiative began after two Belgian visitors met a camel herder in Jaisalmer in 2011 who was unable to afford his six-year-old daughter’s education. The initiative subsequently expanded to support the education of several children.
ED Alleges Funds Were Misdeclared
According to the ED, Deu Ram received the foreign funds without FCRA permission by allegedly misdeclaring their purpose. The agency further alleged that the money was subsequently used for personal expenses and activities aimed at influencing the cultural and religious beliefs of vulnerable sections under the guise of providing educational support.
The foreign remittances were reportedly declared to banks under different purpose codes, including family maintenance and savings, educational services, cultural and recreational services, commission agent services and employee remuneration.
However, the ED claimed that no corresponding educational, cultural or recreational services were actually provided to Amar ASBL and that the funds were instead used for the organisation’s activities in Jaisalmer.
Of the Rs 5.10 crore allegedly received, Deu Ram is said to have withdrawn around Rs 2.60 crore in cash. The agency also claimed that proper books of accounts and financial records were not maintained for the receipt and utilisation of the funds.
Religious Gatherings Also Under Probe
The ED further alleged that Deu Ram and Gyan Chand remained in regular contact with Jose and Salian Goffinet. According to the agency, the Belgian nationals visit Jaisalmer every year for around two to three weeks, meet the families of children supported by the organisation and participate in meetings and religious gatherings.
The agency is examining whether these activities were connected to the alleged promotion of the organisation’s cultural and religious beliefs and practices.
The investigation also found that after banks reportedly declined to process foreign remittances into the accounts of Deu Ram and Gyan Chand, attempts were allegedly made to route the funds through bank accounts belonging to other persons connected to them in Jaisalmer.
During Saturday’s searches, the ED said it recovered several documents and digital devices containing what it described as incriminating evidence. Further investigation is underway.
The latest searches come a month after the ED conducted searches at two premises in Jaipur linked to a pastor who was allegedly receiving foreign funds from a US-based donor for proselytisation activities among Dalit Valmiki and Tribal Bhil communities in Jaipur and parts of southern Rajasthan.
