* * Two officers arrested for demanding bribe in lieu of FCRA registration

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The local police have arrested two senior officials after they were accused of demanding bribe in the process of registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). According to the investigation, the accused had offered cash payments to several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in exchange for registration approval. Following complaints received in this regard, an associate agency of the Finance Ministry immediately initiated investigation into the matter and took action after examining the relevant documents and bank transactions.

The FCRA, which regulates the flow of foreign funds, is an important legal framework for NGOs operating in sectors such as social development, health and education in India. Over the years, stringent regulatory measures have been taken to prevent misuse of the Act, and at times reports of unauthorized fund flows or irregularities in registration have come to light. In this context, the issue of demanding bribes by officials not only represents a violation of the law, but also jeopardizes the transparent utilization of foreign contributions.

Expressing strong condemnation over this incident, the government said that in such cases, priority will be given to strict punishment and strengthening of the system. The Finance Ministry said that to prevent such corruption, internal controls will be further strengthened in all concerned departments and new monitoring mechanisms will be implemented in the FCRA registration process. Civil society and NGOs also lauded the move, saying it would promote transparency and accountability and restore confidence in the use of foreign funds. Extensive training and strict inspections are being planned to prevent such incidents in future.