The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Arunachal Pradesh-based lawyer and environmental activist Bhanu Tatak, alleging she received foreign funds without prior permission or registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), officials said on Tuesday.
Allegation of unauthorised foreign receipts
According to the first information report (FIR) filed on August 20 and seen by media, the CBI alleged that Tatak received more than ₹17.6 lakh from various overseas organisations and individuals directly into her personal savings account between 2022 and 2025. The FIR names several foreign entities as the alleged sources of these funds.
The agency said the amounts were credited to Tatak's account at the State Bank of India, Roing branch, through forex transactions and that she did not possess the required FCRA registration or prior permission to receive such contributions.
“Such foreign funds are being utilized to organize and sustain anti-dam protests in Arunachal Pradesh against the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) and Dibang Multipurpose Hydropower Project, thereby adversely affecting economic and strategic interests of the country,” the FIR alleges.
Entities named in the FIR and transaction details
The FIR lists a number of overseas organisations and networks as alleged sources of the funds, including:
- Asia Indigenous Peoples Network on Extractive Industries and Energy (Philippines)
- Indigenous Peoples Rights International (Philippines)
- Front Line (Ireland)
- Human Rights Resource Centre (United Kingdom)
The FIR further states that between 2022 and 2025 Tatak received a total of ₹20.94 lakh into the same bank account through forex transactions, and that she had not filed income tax returns for the period 2017-18 to 2025-26. The CBI has alleged she therefore did not declare the receipt of the foreign funds in tax filings.
| Item | Details (as per FIR) |
|---|---|
| Alleged foreign receipts | More than ₹17.6 lakh |
| Total forex credits (2022–25) | ₹20.94 lakh |
| Bank | State Bank of India, Roing branch |
| FIR filing date | August 20 (year not specified in FIR extract) |
Context: activism and projects named in FIR
Tatak serves as legal adviser to the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) and is coordinator of a civil society group called Dibang Resistance. She has been associated with protests against major hydropower projects proposed in Arunachal Pradesh, including the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) and the Dibang Multipurpose Hydropower Project, the FIR notes.
The CBI said the probe was launched on the direction of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Before registering the FIR, the agency conducted a preliminary enquiry (PE), a standard precursor to formal investigation in such matters, the document states.
Allegations on tax returns and declaration
The FIR alleges Tatak did not file income tax returns for financial years from 2017-18 up to 2025-26 and therefore did not declare the foreign receipts, according to the account seen by media. The CBI has named Tatak and "unknown persons" as accused in the FIR.
The FIR links the alleged unauthorised foreign funds to sustaining and organising anti-dam protests in the state and frames this as counter to the country's "economic and strategic interests". No charge sheet has been filed and the case is at the investigation stage, the CBI statement indicates.
What the record shows
- The FIR was filed on August 20 and names Tatak and unknown persons as accused.
- The allegation centres on receipt of foreign contributions without FCRA registration/permission.
- The probe was initiated following direction from the MHA and after a preliminary enquiry by the CBI.
The FIR also records that Tatak said she was a recipient of the Bhagirath Prayas Samman Award, India 2023, for her work in river conservation, according to material cited with the complaint.
The matter raises legal questions under the FCRA, which regulates receipt and use of foreign contributions by individuals and organisations in India. The CBI investigation will seek to establish whether the receipts took place as alleged and if statutory permissions were required and obtained.
At this stage, the case remains under investigation and the CBI has not released further details about any arrests or subsequent steps. The FIR and agency note the involvement of multiple overseas entities as alleged remitters; verification of transaction trails and compliance records is likely to form part of the ongoing probe.
