CBI raids Amnesty International offices in Delhi, Bengaluru

The CBI on Friday (November 15) conducted raids at the Amnesty International India’s Bengaluru and Delhi offices. An Amnesty International India executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, said about half-a-dozen CBI sleuths arrived at about 8.30 am at the Bengaluru office and carried out searches till 5 pm.

In a statement, the human rights watchdog said, “Over the past year, a pattern of harassment has emerged every time Amnesty India stands up and speaks out against human rights violations in India. Our work in India, as elsewhere, is to uphold and fight for universal human rights. These are the same values that are enshrined in the

Indian Constitution and flow from a long and rich Indian tradition of pluralism, tolerance, and dissent,” it said.

About a year ago, the Enforcement Directorate had raided the Amnesty International India office in connection with a foreign exchange contravention case.

The searches were in connection with alleged violation of foreign direct investment norms linked to a previous case of revocation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of the NGO by the Home Ministry in 2010.

(With inputs from agencies)