New Delhi, Aug 2 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate has registered a forex violation case against a Kerala-based charitable organisation for receiving Rs 220 crore from abroad in alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).

The investigation pertains to Kunhahmed Musliyar Memorial Trust located in Kasargod and its chairman Ibrahim Ahmad Ali, an NRI.

Searches were conducted under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) at two locations in Kasargod on Thursday in connection with the case, the ED said in a statement.

The Trust, according to the ED, received more than Rs 220 crore since 2021 from Ibrahim Ahmad Ali, which was reflected in the books of accounts as "unsecured" loans.

However, no loan agreement, interest rate terms, or repayment schedule were available, and no repayment had been made till date, the probe agency said.

The probe found that these funds were received by Ali from a UAE company named Universal Lubricants LLC.

In the absence of supporting documents and in view of the clarification given under a section of the FCRA, the said loan prima facie qualified as "foreign contribution" under FCRA, the statement said.

According to the ED, the Trust is "not registered" under the FCRA and does not possess the "mandatory permission" or a designated FCRA bank account to receive foreign contributions.

It was found that a part of these foreign contributions was "utilised" for the purchase of agricultural land in India, in violation of the existing regulations.

The search action found that the Trust received Rs 2.49 crore in "cash" from Ali in violation of FEMA provisions.

"During the search, incriminating documents, ledger accounts showing unsecured loans of Rs 220 crore, the cash book of the Trust, and a hard disk containing financial data were seized," the ED said. PTI NES ARI

Foreign contribution violation triggers FEMA searches and enforcement against a Kerala trust for unregistered receipts and misuse. Enforcement investigators allege a Kerala charitable trust received foreign funds from an overseas company via an NRI, recorded as unsecured loans without agreements, which prima facie qualify as foreign contribution. The trust lacked FCRA registration, mandatory permission and a designated FCRA bank account; searches under FEMA led to seizure of cash, ledgers and electronic financial data. A portion of the funds is alleged to have been utilised to purchase agricultural land, contravening rules on permissible use of foreign contributions.