‘Vendetta’, say Luminaries after CBI raids offices of Indira Jaising and Anand Grover




Senior lawyers Indira Jaising and her husband Anand Grover have been raided by the CBI, which has accused them of violating a law on foreign funding.

Raids started at around 5 in the morning at the home of Indira Jaising in Delhi’s Nizamuddin, the office of the NGO and another office in Mumbai. The CBI had earlier filed a case against Anand Grover and his NGO Lawyers Collective for alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).

The investigating agency’s First Information Report, filed on the basis of a Home Ministry complaint, does not name Indira Jaising as an accused but the ministry reportedly referred to her alleged role. The CBI case says Indira Jaising received a remuneration of Rs. 96.60 lakh from Lawyers Collective.

The CBI’s case involves contributions to the NGO when Indira Jaising was Additional Solicitor General between 2009 and 2014. The expenses of her foreign trips at the time were from the NGO without Home Ministry approval, according to the agency.

Lawyers Collective has strongly denied the charges. Indira Jaising, Anand Grover and Lawyers Collective had issued a press statement rejecting the allegations.

“Mr Grover and I are being targeted for the human rights work that we have done over the years,” said Indira Jaising.

Vendetta Says Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal condemned the raids. “I strongly condemn CBI raids on well-known senior advocates @IJaising and Mr Anand Grover. Let the law take its own course but subjecting veterans who have all through their lives fought for upholding the rule of law and constitutional values is clear vendetta,” he tweeted.

Clear Act of Vendetta says Prashant Bushan

Senior Supreme Court Lawyer Prashant Bhushan called it a clear act of vendetta. “CBI raids at residence of Indira Jaisingh & Anand Grover in case of alleges misuse of foreign funding to their NGO is a clear act of Vendetta. Registration of cases & raids by Govt agencies has now become the way of govt to harass & intimidate opponents,” he tweeted.

Yechuri Accuses of Targetting

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury also accused the government of “targeting” former additional solicitor general Indira Jaising and her husband Anand Grover hours after the CBI began raids at their residences and offices.

“While the law must take its course, brazen targeting of well known and respected senior advocates by the government via its agencies raises serious questions about its intentions,” Mr Yechury wrote in his tweet.

Ashok Swain said “This is what you get in Modi’s New India if you fight for human rights!”

Indria Jaising and her husband are senior lawyers practicing in Supreme Court who run a NGO Lawyers Collective and have been working for human rights. It was Indira Jaisingh who had fought for Kargil War veteran Mohammad Sanaullah when he was declared a foreigner by NRC tribunal.

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