New Delhi: Hours after noted social and human rights activist, columnist and NGO worker Harsh Mander (66), who is also a retired IAS officer, left for a fellowship he had secured in Germany, sleuths from the Enforcement Directorate here on Thursday descended upon premises linked to him, including his Delhi home and offices of his NGOs in Vasant Kunj, Adhchini, and Mehrauli areas.
Sources here said that the ED had initiated a money-laundering probe against Mander and his NGO, which runs children's shelter homes in the city, based on an FIR registered by the Delhi Police's EOW — which in turn was based on a complaint from the Centre-run National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
Even as the raids continued on Thursday, several activists, civil society members and intellectuals signed an open statement condemning the action against the social worker, who had taken one of the central roles in organising anti-CAA protests in the Capital in late 2019 and early 2020.
In the statement, signed by 29 activists and intellectuals, including the likes of activist Aruna Roy, DU professor Apoorvanand, Economist Jean Dreze, and senior advocate Indira Jaising, among others, the action against Mander was described as part of a "continuing chain of abuse of state institutions" to silence dissidents.
Sources in the ED have said the raids were intended to recover the financial and banking documents of the two NGOs linked to Mander.
Civil society members, in their statement, added: "We condemn these raids to harass and intimidate a leading human rights and peace activist who has done nothing but work for peace and harmony, consistently upholding the highest moral standards of honesty and probity. Over the past year, Harsh Mander and the CES have been subjected to continued harassment by multiple state agencies."
Crucially, the statement also calls into question the allegations made by the NCPCR, which forms the basis of two criminal complaints with the Delhi Police and now one with the ED.
While the NCPCR had last year conducted "surprise checks" at children's homes run by the Centre for Equity Studies (one of Mander's NGOs) and published a report, which was then forwarded to the Delhi Police.
Based on the allegations in this report, which include alleged abuse of children and officials encouraging children to attend anti-CAA protests among others, the Delhi Police had registered two cases — one with district police and the other with the EOW.
Significantly, the Delhi Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, which has been at the forefront of seeking reforms in the Juvenile Justice Act and other laws dealing with rights of children, has completely rubbished the NCPCR's findings in an affidavit filed in the Delhi High Court.
Countering the NCPCR's allegations that funds were allegedly being misused by Mander-linked children's homes, the DCPCR on the one hand concluded that the NCPCR does not fully understand how NGOs and their funding works.
And on the other hand, the DCPCR also noted that encouraging children to protest against the government or even holding poor or incorrect opinions about the government can in no way be termed "illegal".
The NCPCR's main allegations were against alleged irregularities in Umeed Aman Ghar and Khushi Rainbow Homes, both run by the CES. When these homes were raided by the NCPCR and the allegations surfaced, Mander had said: "I think it is completely unjustified. We created a very strong system, like we had elder women (caretakers) sleeping with smaller children and we have counselling. It is just an allegation and a rumour."