A spokesperson for the Amnesty International deny the charges said that the organisation have faith in the Constitution & the judicial processes & cann't share further details before answering the notice.

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International India on Tuesday denied charges of violating the foreign exchange law after it was recently served with a show cause notice by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

"Amnesty International India acknowledges that Amnesty International India Private Limited has received a show-cause notice from the Enforcement Directorate (ED)."

"We deny the charges. We have faith in the Constitution & the judicial processes & cann't share further details before answering the notice," a spokesperson for the global body said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued a show-cause notice to Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd on July 25 for alleged contravention of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to the tune of over Rs 51 crore.

Official sources had last week said that the notice was issued after completion of probe.

The alleged Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) contravention is related to the borrowing & lending regulations to the tune of Rs 51.72 crore for rendering civil society activities in the country by getting remittances from its parent body, Amnesty International UK, in the garb of export of services, sources said.

The show cause notice was issued by the Adjudicating Authority of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), which is a special director rank officer of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The federal probe agency, in Oct last year, had conducted searches at the offices of the Non Governmental Organization (NGO) in Bengaluru on charges of alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had then said that after Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT) was denied the permission/registration under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by the MHA (ministry of home affairs) they "resorted to bypass the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)" by floating commercial entity in the name of Amnesty lnternational India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL).

"This entity has received foreign funds through commercial route to the extent of Rs 36 crore till date," the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had said in a statement.

Out of the total amount of Rs 36 crore, it said, Rs 10 crore was received as long term loans.

"This amount was immediately placed in FDs (fixed deposits) & another Indian entity-- Indians for Amnesty International Trust (IAIT) had established an over draft facility for Rs 14.25 crore keeping the said 10 crore FD(fixed deposit) as collateral which means the receipt of foreign direct investment (FDI) by trust only.

"The remaining Rs 26 crore was received in 2 other bank accounts of Amnesty lnternational India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL) as consultancy services. The inwards remittances received by the Amnesty lnternational India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL) from overseas is in violation of foreign direct investment (FDI) guidelines," it had said.

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