The Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), a rights advocacy group based in Secunderabad, Telangana, has formally lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) against The Vizagapatnam Diocesan Corporation Pvt Ltd. The complaint alleges that the organization violated provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) by transferring assets purchased with foreign contributions to another non-governmental organization, allegedly without due disclosure and compliance.
According to LRPF, The Vizagapatnam Diocesan Corporation Pvt Ltd, registered under FCRA with registration number 010350009, acquired a 4,840-square-yard plot in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, in 1997 using foreign contributions. The current market value of this land is reportedly over INR 10 crore. LRPF claims that the organization did not disclose this asset in its mandatory FCRA filings (FC-4 forms), thereby failing to comply with FCRA reporting obligations under clause 6 of the Act.
The complaint further alleges that the Vizagapatnam Diocesan Corporation recently transferred the property to another registered NGO, the Society of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod, based in Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh. LRPF states that the transfer, executed as a gift deed on November 19, 2022, contravenes Section 7 of the FCRA Act, which prohibits the transfer of foreign contributions to other individuals or organizations.
The forum has urged the MHA to cancel the FCRA registration of the Vizagapatnam Diocesan Corporation and requested that the District Collector of Visakhapatnam take possession of the transferred land. In its complaint, LRPF highlighted the need for enforcement to ensure adherence to FCRA regulations, arguing that non-compliance undermines the rule of law regarding foreign contributions.
This development has sparked concern over regulatory compliance among FCRA-registered organizations, as enforcement and transparency remain crucial to the government’s monitoring of foreign-funded activities across the country. The MHA has not yet issued a statement regarding the complaint.
