SC issues notice to activist Hazare on 'financial irregularities' in his trust

18 Oct 2011 Evaluate

Based on public interest litigation (PIL) Supreme Court has issued notices to Gandhian activist Anna Hazare. The PIL filed by advocate ML Sharma states despite irregularities pointed out by Justice Sawant Committee's report 2005, no action has been taken by the authorities. Thus, the notices now seek direction to CBI to investigate 'financial irregularities' in Hazare’s trust.

According to the PIL, Hind Swaraj Trust in Ralegon Sidhi, one of the three trusts headed by Hazare, had floated capital of just Rs 500. However, before its registration, the trust received Rs 45 lakh from the Centre in 1994-95 followed by Rs 65.85 lakh from the state government in 1995-96.

'This is a clear case of fraud and criminal breach of trust involving public funds, as how could a trust, which was not born and having funds not more than Rs 500 as capital for registration on February 21, 1995, be spending Rs 45 lakh in 1994-95,' the petitioner Sharma said.

The PIL has alleged that there are more than 22,000 NGOs and various other trusts in the country utilising grants from governments and enjoying complete tax exemption, running into thousand of crores every year.

'Hazare is only an example; more than 10 thousand crores funds from the Consolidated Fund of India has been siphoned to various NGOs/Trusts in the name of public welfare and used for own family/political development,' the petition alleged.

© 2025 The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. MoneyWorks4Me ® is a registered trademark of The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd.

×