NEW DELHI, Jan 29: The Delhi high court today asked the Union Home Ministry to provide the share holding patterns and Memorandum of Association of four overseas companies which donated Rs 3.75 crore to Congress in 1993-94 in alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).A division bench, comprising acting Chief Justice Mahinder Narain and Justice SK Mahajan, asked counsel for Home ministry Rajiv Sakdher why a previous court order seeking share holding patterns of the overseas companies were not provided.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing on February 17 after Sakdher sought time to comply with the order. The high court on January 19 had prima facie disagreed with Union Government that donations amounting to Rs 3.75 crore, given in 1993-94 to the Congress, by four companies did not violate the FCRA and asked for the share holding pattern of these companies. A petition filed by Madhuresh has sought prosecution of the then treasurer, Sitaram Kesri, and others for receivingforeign donations as section four of FCRA bans political parties from receiving such donations.
Government on November 26 had informed the high court that it has closed the probe against Congress saying the party had not violated the FCRA by receiving Rs 3.75 crore donations from overseas companies as these were not foreign companies within the meaning of section 591 of the Companies Act.
The Home ministry had probed the status of the companies in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago and London and had officially sought information from the Enforcement Directorate and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in this regard. Congress in its affidavit had admitted of receiving Rs 30 lakh each from Decor Trading Ltd and Diera Trading Ltd in Antigua and Rs 40 lakh from Dominion Trading Ltd in Isle-of-Man, in 1993.
It received Rs two crore from Berkley Business Corporation at British Virgin Islands in April 1994, and in 1995 the same firm paid Rs 75 lakh to Congress.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
