After tax 'surveys', CPR responds; Oxfam says no internet, ‘phones confiscated’
The survey was conducted at CPR, non-government organisation Oxfam India and a Bengaluru-based media foundation IPSMF.
Two days after the Income Tax department carried out a “survey” operation against Centre for Policy Research (CPR) in connection with its probe into foreign funding, the Delhi-based prominent think tank on Friday said it remained committed to its mission to provide “rigorous research” to policy making in India. It also said it is confident that “we have done nothing wrong”.
“The Income Tax Department visited our office to undertake a survey of CPR on 7th and 8th September 2022. We have extended full cooperation to the department during the survey, and will continue to do so in the future,” the CPR said in a statement.
“We hold ourselves to the highest standards of compliance and are confident that we have done nothing wrong. We are committed to working with the authorities to address any questions they might have,” it added.
The survey was conducted at CPR, non-government organisation Oxfam India and a Bengaluru-based media foundation Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF).
In its statement, Oxfam India said during the 35-plus hours of “non-stop survey”, its team members were not allowed to leave the premises and the internet was shut down and all the mobile phones were confiscated.
“The Income Tax (IT) department officials conducted an Income Tax 'survey' at the Oxfam India Delhi office from the 7th September 2022 noon to early hours of 9th September… The Income Tax survey team took away hundreds of pages of data pertaining to finances and programs of Oxfam India. They also took all the data by cloning the Oxfam India server and the private mobile phones of the Senior leadership team and the Finance lead. While the team conducting the survey was polite and professional; the process of a survey with such sweeping powers and broad ambit resulted in disappointing Oxfam India, an organisation that has been law-abiding and community centric,” it said.
Oxfam India also claimed that the survey was undertaken “without giving a reason”. “Oxfam India has co-operated with the Income Tax department during this survey and is committed to doing so in the future. In January 2022 we also had a detailed week-long audit of the FCRA accounts by the auditors appointed by the FCRA division,” it said in the statement.
“The past eight months have been distressing for Oxfam India. In December 2021, the renewal of FCRA licence was denied by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Despite this, Oxfam India was conducting one of the largest civil society responses to the Covid crisis across 16 states in India. Oxfam India has provided lifesaving medical and diagnostic equipment to 150 District Hospitals, 172 Primary Health Centres, and 166 Community Health Centres in 16 states. 10 oxygen plants have also been set up and made operational across the country. The IT survey and MHA’s refusal to renew Oxfam India’s FCRA registration will not reduce our commitment to serve the vulnerable communities in country and uphold values enshrined in the Indian Constitution,” the NGO said.
Asserting that the survey is part of a probe to ascertain if there was any contravention of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by the three entities, a senior officer said the books of accounts and other documents were checked during the operation on Wednesday.
According to a person aware of the development, the I-T department was investigating these cases based on definite inputs of some irregularities. “Surveys are conducted to ascertain whether these irregularities are unintentional or deliberate. Only after completion of survey, it would be ascertained whether these cases are related or not,” the person said requesting anonymity.
Taxmen visited the premises of three organisations’ around noon and took away phones of the office bearers while checking financial documents, including balance sheets and receipts of foreign funds, said the person mentioned above.
Established in 1973, according to the CPR, it is a leading policy think tank that conducts advanced research on a wide range of policy-relevant issues, with a focus on India’s 21st-century challenges. Meenakshi Gopinath, a political scientist who taught at Jawaharlal Nehru University, is CPR’s chairperson.