Anushka Sharma-
Published On: December 07, 2021 at 14:00 IST
The Centre informed the Delhi High Court on Monday that it has decided not to produce the original record pertaining to an alleged Violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act 1976 (FCRA) pending against Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), an International non-governmental organization, before the Court.
The Court gave Centre a week to file an application to invoke secrecy, saying it may do so in that time.
On October 25, the Court had granted time to Centre to produce the original document in support of its contention that a show cause notice with an inquiry was issued to CHRI prior to the Judgement suspending its FCRA certificate.
The CHRI has claimed that since no show cause notice was issued, the suspension order is in contravention of the Law as well the decision passed by the High Court in September 2013 in a similar case.
“I have instructions that we don’t want to show the record to your lordships,” submitted Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati before the bench of Justice Rekha Palli on Monday.
The Judge earlier pulled up the Centre for the turnaround and said it should have either asked for recall of the October 25 order or not taken the stand earlier. “His case is simple that you could not suspend because there is no inquiry. Now if you say you have started the inquiry, show me that…why are you shying away from producing the file,” asked Justice Palli.
The Court was hearing CHRI’s Petition challenging the suspension of its FCRA registration. The MHA suspension order said that the CHRI did not share the information about opening of a bank account in February 2016. It also Accused CHRI of other violations of the FCRA, 2010.
The Court will hear the issue on December 22.