New Delhi, Sept 2025 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated an inquiry into alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) by institutions founded by Ladakh-based educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk, officials confirmed on Thursday.
According to sources, the probe is based on a complaint from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding foreign funding received by the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL). Though an inquiry has been underway for some time, officials clarified that no FIR has been registered so far.
Speaking to PTI, Wangchuk said that a CBI team visited HIAL nearly 10 days ago with “an order” citing alleged FCRA violations. The activist maintained that his institution has not sought foreign funds directly, but generates revenue through international collaborations.
“We export knowledge, not seek aid. In three cases involving the UN, a Swiss university, and an Italian organisation, the authorities mistook it for foreign contributions,” Wangchuk said.
The CBI teams also visited the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), seeking records of foreign transactions between 2022 and 2024. However, Wangchuk alleged that investigators expanded their scrutiny to earlier years and even demanded documents from schools not mentioned in the original complaint.
Wangchuk emphasised that both HIAL and SECMOL provide free education to underprivileged youth, while HIAL also pays stipends to students engaged in project work.
“The CBI officers are still in Ladakh, rigorously going through records. They have not questioned me directly so far,” he added.
The activist further alleged a pattern of pressure tactics against him. He said earlier cases included a sedition FIR, withdrawal of land leased for HIAL, and income tax summons.
“It feels like guns blazing from all sides. Even though Ladakh has no income tax liability, I voluntarily pay taxes, yet still face repeated summons,” he remarked.
The inquiry comes amid heightened tensions in Ladakh, where Wangchuk has been leading an agitation demanding statehood and inclusion of the Union Territory under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. On September 10, he began a hunger strike to press for these demands.
The situation escalated into large-scale violence in Leh on September 24, when protesters set ablaze vehicles, the BJP office, and the Hill Council headquarters, marking the worst unrest in the region since 1989. Police and paramilitary forces resorted to teargas to restore order.
Officials said investigations into the alleged FCRA violations remain ongoing, with the CBI continuing to examine financial records and agreements of Wangchuk’s institutions.
