The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has revoked the foreign funding licence of the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an organisation founded by activist Sonam Wangchuk. The cancellation, announced on Thursday, was based on what the ministry termed “systemic non-compliance” with the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
The action follows a show-cause notice issued to the Ladakh-based educational institute on August 20, which alleged financial misreporting, misuse of foreign contributions, and activities against national interest. After SECMOL submitted its response on September 19, the MHA concluded that the reply was unsatisfactory and proceeded with the cancellation.
Details of the Violations
According to findings accessed by Media Agency, the MHA identified several specific breaches between 2020 and 2022. These included the deposit of domestic funds, totaling Rs. 3.5 lakh from Wangchuk himself and Rs. 54,600 from three individuals, into the designated FCRA account—a violation of reporting norms. SECMOL reportedly acknowledged the latter as a procedural error.
The ministry also flagged a receipt of Rs. 4.93 lakh from the Sweden-based Framtidsjorden Foundation for educational programmes that included content related to national sovereignty, deeming it contrary to national interest. Other violations involved the improper handling of a Rs. 19,600 donation for volunteer expenses and the misreporting of Rs. 79,200 in foreign contributions collected as food fees from staff.
Parallel CBI Probe
In a related development, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has begun a separate inquiry into the funding of another institute founded by Wangchuk, the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL). Wangchuk confirmed to news agencies that a CBI team visited about ten days ago with a complaint from the MHA alleging FCRA violations.
This action against SECMOL occurs amidst a backdrop of protests in Ladakh, where Wangchuk has been a prominent voice demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule for the region.
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