Environment lawyer Ritwick Dutta and his NGO Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE) have been booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation for allegedly violating the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.
The Union Home Ministry has accused LIFE of receiving funding from American non-profits, Earth Justice and the Sandler Foundation, to stage protests aimed at stalling the progress of Indian coal projects.
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act regulates the acceptance and use of foreign funds by individuals and associations to prevent foreign entities from exercising undue influence on the functioning of governmental or non-governmental organizations in India.
The complaint filed against LIFE, now part of a First Information Report, alleges that Earth Justice is a US NGO that funds legal professionals in various countries to prosecute coal projects.
According to the complainant, Earth Justice, together with the Sandler Foundation, provided funding to LIFE to disrupt existing or proposed coal projects in India, in violation of the Act.
What Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment do?
Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by environmental lawyer Ritwick Dutta.
The organization works to protect and preserve India’s forests and natural resources by advocating for environmental rights, providing legal aid to communities affected by environmental degradation, and challenging environmentally harmful policies and projects through litigation.
LIFE’s work includes issues such as forest conservation, wildlife protection, mining and climate change. They also conduct research and provide legal training to communities and lawyers working in the field of environmental law.
LIFE also conducts research, publishes reports and organizes workshops and training sessions on environmental and forest laws. The organization aims to create awareness about the importance of the environment and the need for its protection, and to promote sustainable development practices.
Keep Reading
- FIR Against Environmental Lawyer Ritwick Dutta For Alleged FCRA Violations In Anti-Coal Cases
- FIR against Environmental Lawyer Ritwick Dutta for alleged FCRA violations in anti-coal cases
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