New Delhi, Sept 25: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched an inquiry into alleged Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) violations by the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL), founded by educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk, officials said on Thursday.
The probe, initiated on a complaint from the Ministry of Home Affairs, has not yet resulted in an FIR. A CBI team visited HIAL and the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) last week, examining foreign fund records between 2022 and 2024. The officials remain stationed in Ladakh, scrutinising accounts and documents.
Wangchuk said the case stemmed from revenue earned through service agreements with global institutions, including the UN, a Swiss university, and an Italian organisation. “It was knowledge export, not foreign aid,” he said, adding that taxes had been paid. He alleged investigators were seeking records outside their mandate period, extending inquiries to schools unrelated to the complaint.
The activist also pointed to a series of actions against him — from sedition charges to the revocation of HIAL’s land lease, income tax summons, and labour-related complaints — calling it a coordinated campaign. “It is guns blazing from all sides,” Wangchuk alleged.
The inquiry comes amid heightened tensions in Ladakh, where Wangchuk has been leading protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule inclusion. On Wednesday, the region witnessed its worst violence in decades, as mobs attacked BJP offices, vandalized Hill Council premises, and set vehicles on fire before police intervened with teargas. (Agencies)
