The government has cancelled the FCRA registration of activist Sonam Wangchuk’s non-profit, the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), citing repeated violations of the foreign funding law for NGOs. The action came a day after violent protests in Leh over statehood demands led by Wangchuk.

According to sources, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been examining alleged FCRA violations by HIAL for the past two months, though no preliminary enquiry (PE) or regular case has yet been registered.

In August, the Ladakh Administration cancelled HIAL’s land allotment, stating the land was not being used for its intended purpose and no lease agreement had been executed.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has linked Wangchuk to the recent protests, saying:

“Activist Sonam

See Full Page