NEW DELHI: An Indian climate advocacy firm led by a prominent activist has denied allegations by authorities that it misused foreign funds to influence policy and threaten the country´s energy security.
Satat Sampada said in a statement late on Wednesday it had fully cooperated with India´s top financial crimes agency, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which carried out searches on Monday of the organisation´s offices and the home of its co-founders, climate activist Harjeet Singh and his wife Jyoti Awasthi.
The ED said Singh had been detained by the Uttar Pradesh state excise department in connection with the seizure of liquor exceeding permissible limits. Satat Sampada said he had been granted bail, without sharing details of the charges.
The ED has alleged that the company received more than $666,000 in foreign remittances between 2021 and 2025 under the “garb” of consultancy fees.
Instead, the ED alleged, the funds were used to promote the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FF-NPT), a proposed international agreement to phase out fossil fuel production.
It also alleged that the company functioned as a front for foreign-influenced activism and that some funds were diverted for personal use.
