Home Ministry shifts three officers out of division facing bribery case

The Ministry of Home Affairs has sent three senior officers from the Foreigners Division-II back to their parent departments following a bribery scandal. This action follows the September 28 arrests of two government officials by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police for allegedly demanding bribes to process registrations under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

Officer Transfers

Joint Director Saurabh Bansal and Deputy Director Ayush Bansal, both from the Indian Cost Accounts Service and posted in the Foreigners-II division, were sent back to their parent cadre on October 1. A third official, Deputy Secretary Rajesh Kumar T, was returned to the Department of Personnel and Training for early repatriation through an October 2 order.

Previous Arrests

The Delhi Police made the arrests in coordination with Central agencies after two officials—one serving as a Senior Accountant and another as an Accountant—allegedly approached an association to demand illegal payments for a pending FCRA registration. One accused is posted in the Foreigners Division while the second works in a Pay and Accounts Office but previously served in the Foreigners Division. Investigators are now checking if other groups were involved in similar illegal deals.

Context

FCRA registration is a mandatory legal requirement for NGOs in India to receive foreign funds and donations. The Home Ministry's Foreigners Division handles all issues related to these registrations, including renewals, suspensions, and cancellations. Past corruption cases in the division have previously forced the government to shift towards an online renewal system to reduce direct contact between officials and applicants.