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Journalism of Courage
The Delhi High Court has ordered registration of a public interest litigation to examine whether the funds being given by the central government to Indian Federation of United Nations Association (IFUNA), a non-governmental organisation established to promote the objectives of the United Nations, are being utilised in a transparent manner.
Issuing a notice to the Ministry of External Affairs, the division bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh in an order said, “Since the said society is surviving on doles and largess provided by the Central government, it needs examination whether the funds received and generated by the society IFUNA, which are in the nature of public funds, are being utilised in a transparent manner to achieve the object for which it has been created.”
The court took suo motu note of the issue while hearing a litigation related to the IFUNA. During the proceedings, the court was informed that IFUNA receives grants from the MEA and “has also been vested with properties which are generating rental income for the said society”. The court was particularly told that huge amounts are being doled out to four persons — Suresh Srivastava, PM Parvatiyar, Kailash Khosla and AS Talwar as honorarium.
As per the details recorded in the order, in 2017-19, the four persons received Rs 29.15 lakh; Rs 29.73 lakh in 2018-19; and Rs 31.57 lakh in 2019-20 — more than Rs 90.45 lakh in total with varying amounts to each individual per year.
“We may note that Mr Sundeep Bhutoria, who is a member of the said society, has brought to light the aforesaid aspects since a dispute has arisen between him, and the current management of the aforesaid society,” said the court in its order.
The court will hear the case on March 10. It has also permitted Bhutoria to assist the court considering that he has been a member of IFUNA. Advocate Samar Bansal has been appointed an amicus curiae in the case.
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