The National Human Rights Commission has formally intervened in a complaint filed by Hyderabad-based activist A.S. Santhosh, directing the Telangana government and the Union Home Ministry to examine allegations that HIV-affected orphan children linked to Agape Orphanage were publicly exposed on fundraising platforms and that wider child-protection and regulatory failures may have followed. The NHRC, in a notice dated 30 June 2026 under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, said the allegations prima facie appeared to involve violations of the victims’ human rights and sought an Action Taken Report within two weeks.

NHRC action

In its communication issued from the Law Division in New Delhi, the Commission said the complaint dated 15 June 2026 had been placed before it on 30 June and was taken cognisance of by a Bench presided over by NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo. The notice was addressed to the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ FCRA Wing, the Telangana Chief Secretary and the Telangana Director General of Police, reflecting that the matter has been split into human-rights, policing and foreign-funding compliance components.

The Commission directed the Chief Secretary and the DGP to get the allegations inquired into and initiate the lodging of an FIR, while separately asking the Joint Secretary, FCRA, to examine possible violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. It also reminded public authorities that the NHRC is empowered under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, including with powers of a civil court for inquiry under Section 13.

What the complaint alleges

Santhosh, who identified himself as General Secretary of the Legal Rights Protection Forum, alleged that Agape International Inc., a US-based charity, and its associated Agape Orphanage in Hyderabad publicly disclosed the identities, photographs, HIV status and personal stories of HIV-affected orphan children on websites and fundraising platforms. The complaint argues that such publication violated the children’s privacy, dignity and confidentiality and exposed them to stigma and exploitation.

The PDF attached to the complaint (file attached at the end of this article) includes screenshots and extracts from sponsorship pages that list children’s names, ages, gender and personal histories, including statements identifying at least one child as “living with HIV.” The complaint also points to website material and promotional content that, according to the petitioner, turned the children’s medical and personal circumstances into fundraising narratives for overseas donors.

The legal concern is not merely ethical but statutory. Bharat’s HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 contains a dedicated confidentiality provision in Section 11, while the law also includes protections specifically concerning children affected by HIV or AIDS.

Regulatory and child-safety claims

Beyond the privacy issue, the complaint revives older allegations about the institution’s treatment of children. It cites 2017 media reports claiming HIV-affected orphan children housed at Agape were forced to clean underground septic drains, an accusation the complaint presents as evidence of a past safeguarding breakdown.

The complaint further states that the institution was reportedly functioning without mandatory registration under the Juvenile Justice framework at the time of that controversy, yet later obtained permissions and recognition. On that basis, Santhosh has asked the NHRC to examine whether state authorities failed in due diligence, background verification, child-safety assessment and ongoing monitoring before granting or renewing approvals.

Another major element in the complaint concerns Ms. Lynne Marie Voggu, identified in the petition as Executive Director of Agape International Inc. and also as an executive member of the Hyderabad-based Agape society. The complaint claims criminal proceedings are pending against her in a POCSO-linked sessions case and argues that her continued involvement in child welfare activities raises grave concerns about institutional oversight and the safety of vulnerable minors, though these allegations remain claims in the complaint and not findings of guilt.

Financial trail

The petition attempts to build a documentary trail linking the foreign donor body and the Bharatiya institution. It identifies Agape International Inc. as a US charity with EIN 20-0452537 and says the Bharatiya recipient organization is Agape Society, registered in Telangana.

The attached Form 990 reproduced in the PDF shows Agape International Inc. reported gross receipts of 397,018 dollars, total revenue of 389,727 dollars and total expenses of 422,480 dollars for the 2024 tax year, ending with a deficit of 32,753 dollars. The same filing shows 243,472 dollars in grants and similar amounts paid, 157,441 dollars in salaries and compensation, and year-end net assets of 927,342 dollars.

The filing also shows a longer revenue pattern: contributions and grants were listed at 1,045,952 dollars in 2020, 3,837,128 dollars in 2021, 574,167 dollars in 2022, 493,263 dollars in 2023 and 362,406 dollars in 2024, for a five-year total of 6,312,916 dollars. Its Schedule A states a 2024 public support percentage of 47.81 percent, above the 33.33 percent threshold used for publicly supported charity status in the filing.

The complaint additionally asserts that Agape’s FCRA registration or licence had reportedly been cancelled by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Publicly available MHA material shows that cancellation of FCRA registration bars an association from receiving and using foreign contribution and that such action is generally tied to violations of the Act or rules after due process.

What the complainant wants

Santhosh has sought a broad package of action: an independent inquiry into Agape Orphanage and Agape International Inc., registration of an FIR, immediate removal of the children’s photographs and HIV-related details from websites, investigation into possible violations of child-rights and HIV confidentiality law, and action against responsible officials and office-bearers. The complaint also asks for an independent child-safety audit and for the Home Ministry to examine the continuation of OCI status granted to Lynne Marie Voggu, including possible deportation proceedings after due inquiry.

At this stage, the NHRC has not ruled on the truth of the allegations. What it has done is elevate the complaint into a live rights inquiry, giving the Telangana administration and the Union Home Ministry a two-week window to explain what action they have taken on allegations that combine child privacy, HIV confidentiality, institutional safeguarding and foreign-funding compliance in one of the most sensitive categories of welfare governance.

Conclusion

The controversy also raises broader concerns about illegal practices, opaque foreign-funded operations and the misuse of child-care institutions in Bharat. Where vulnerable children are drawn into systems marked by poor oversight, identity-based influence or hidden agendas, the consequences can be profound, ranging from trauma and stigma to a breakdown of public confidence in both welfare institutions and the social fabric surrounding them.