MHA Forms Panel To Coordinate Probe Into 3 Gandhi Family Trusts

NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday stated that it has formed an inter-ministerial committee to probe alleged violations of legal provisions by Congress-backed Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.

The inter-ministerial panel, which will be headed by a special director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has been assigned the task of coordinating investigations into violation of various provisions under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Income Tax Act and Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) by these organisations, a spokesperson of the MHA said.

The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, which was established on June 21, 1991, works on a variety of issues, including literacy, health, disability, empowerment of the underprivileged, livelihoods and natural resource management. Its current focus areas are education, disability and natural resource management.

AICC president Sonia Gandhi is the Chairperson of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation while former prime minister Manmohan Singh, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram are its board members.

The MHA decision comes in the wake of recent allegations levelled by the ruling BJP on Congress and the Gandhi family claiming that China had funded the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.

Last month, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, citing some documentary proof, sought an explanation from Congress to explain why the Chinese Embassy donated about Rs 90 lakh to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. It is alleged that among the foundation’s donors is the Government of the People’s Republic of China. A petition has also been filed before the Supreme Court to seek a probe into the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Congress and the Communist Party of China signed in 2008.