India Probes Belgian NGO Over Foreign Funds in Jaisalmer

India's financial crime agency has launched a probe into a Belgian non-profit accused of funneling millions of rupees into Jaisalmer for religious conversion activities, bypassing legal safeguards meant to regulate foreign donations.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) said on Monday that its Jaipur zonal office conducted searches on Saturday at two premises in Jaisalmer linked to Amar ASBL, a Brussels-based NGO. Two local men, Deu Ram and Gyan Chand, allegedly received over Rs 5 crore from abroad for what the ED describes as 'proselytisation and conversion activities among vulnerable sections of society in Jaisalmer.'

What are the allegations against Amar ASBL?

The searches were carried out under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999, over the 'misuse' of foreign donations of about Rs 5.10 crore received from Amar ASBL without FCRA registration. The ED said the funds were used for purposes other than those declared to the banks.

According to the ED, intelligence indicated that Deu Ram was illegally receiving funds for proselytisation. Further investigation revealed that Ram and his associate Gyan Chand received foreign money by falsely declaring the purpose as educational services, cultural and recreational activities, and inward remittances from non-resident Indians for family maintenance and savings.

How does the Belgian NGO operate in India?

Amar ASBL was set up in Brussels in 2011 and is managed by two Belgian nationals, Jose Goffinet and his son Salian Goffinet. Although the organisation works exclusively in Jaisalmer, it has not registered any trust or NGO in India. Instead, it has operated through Deu Ram and Gyan Chand for the last 14-15 years.

On its Instagram page, the NGO describes itself as 'a little Belgian NGO organising and financing education of 125 children in India.' Its website tells a heartwarming origin story: during a tourist trip in January 2011, two friends met a camel herder in Jaisalmer who couldn't afford to send his 6-year-old daughter to school. The friends covered her fees, and soon six more children were added. By November 2011, the non-profit AMAR was created, and by 2021 it supported 125 children.

But the ED alleges a darker reality. It says Deu Ram received foreign donations from Amar ASBL without FCRA permission by 'mis-declaring the purpose, and ultimately used these funds for his personal expenses and for influencing the cultural and religious beliefs of vulnerable section under the garb of providing educational services to their children under the influence of Belgium entity.'

What did the ED find during the searches?

The foreign funds were reportedly reported to banks under various purpose codes, including family maintenance, educational services, and cultural activities. However, no such services were actually rendered to Amar ASBL, the ED said. Instead, the funds were managed and used for the organisation's activities in Jaisalmer.

Out of Rs 5.10 crore, Ram withdrew about Rs 2.60 crore in cash. No proper books of account or financial records were maintained for the receipt and use of these foreign donations.

The ED also said that Deu Ram and Gyan Chand were in regular contact with the Goffinet family, who visit Jaisalmer every year for 2-3 weeks. During these visits, they meet parents and relatives of the children and organise meetings and religious gatherings 'to promote their cultural and religious beliefs and practices.'

After banks recently declined foreign remittances into the accounts of Ram and Chand, attempts were made to route the funds through personal bank accounts of other related persons in Jaisalmer, the investigation revealed.

During Saturday's searches, various 'incriminating documents' and digital evidence were recovered. Further investigation is under progress.

Is this part of a wider crackdown?

Last month, the ED conducted searches at two premises in Jaipur linked to a pastor who allegedly received over Rs 2 crore from a US-based donor for proselytisation activities among Dalit Valmiki and Tribal Bhil communities in Jaipur and southern Rajasthan.

These actions reflect India's tightening enforcement of foreign funding rules, particularly when they intersect with religious activities. For liberal observers, the key concern is not the regulation itself but whether it is applied transparently and without targeting legitimate charitable work. In this case, the ED's evidence of misdeclared funds and cash withdrawals warrants scrutiny, but so does the need to ensure that NGOs are not stifled by overzealous bureaucracy.

As the investigation unfolds, the balance between national sovereignty and foreign philanthropy remains a delicate one. The outcome will be watched closely by international NGOs operating in India.