In 2007, the NGO submitted a utilisation certificate to the government quoting expenses of Rs 15.76 lakh, and said the rest was kept in the bank to be used in 2008. “But no utilisation certificate of the remaining 2.23 lakh has been furnished by the NGO till date,” officials said. The Revenue Department has given Agnivesh, the chairman of the NGO, 10 days to comply with the notice.

The notice also points out “shortcomings” in the expenditure undertaken by the NGO as several of the bills submitted relate to travel expenditure in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh while the survey was intended only for the Capital. The government has objected to the findings of the survey being published in a booklet priced at Rs 100, and sold under the copyright of the NGO.

The notice says, “Why has the copyright of the survey report been shown reserved in favour of the Bonded Labour Liberation Front when financial assistance was extended by the Government.” The notice also asks, “whether any approval was given by the revenue department for fixing the sale price of the report.”