ED RAIDS AT ACTIVIST HARSH MANDER’S PREMISES

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday carried out raids at the premises of retired Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer and activist Harsh Mander in connection with a money laundering probe.

People familiar with the development said a probe under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has been taken up on the basis of a Delhi Police first information report (FIR) registered in February following an inspection by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

Officials said the searches on Thursday were conducted at Vasant Kunj, Adchini and Mehrauli, and that documents and data were seized. The ED team is looking at financial and banking documents of the two NGOs linked to Mander, the officials cited above said.

Mander, 66, was not at home when ED teams reached; he left for Germany along with his wife in the early hours of Thursday for a nine-month-long fellowship.

Delhi Police had booked Centre for Equity Studies (CES), in which Mander is a director, and which runs two non-government organisations, Umeed Aman Ghar, a home for boys, and Khushi Rainbow Home, a residence for girls, both based in south Delhi.

The police complaint was filed under Sections 75 and 83(2) of the Juvenile Justice Act along with Indian Penal Code Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) on the complaint of the registrar of NCPCR for alleged violations in Umeed Aman Ghar and Khushi Rainbow Homes.