The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case against Jaipur-based priest Ravi Mohan Bahadia, alleging he received illegal foreign donations worth Rs 2.88 crore and used part of the money for religious conversion activities.
Officials said India’s Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) governs how overseas funds are received, accounted for and reported. The agency began action after receiving inputs that Bahadia was allegedly getting donations from the United States without the required FCRA registration.
Following the information, ED teams conducted searches at premises linked to the priest. During the operation, documents were found indicating that Bahadia and his wife, Gunjan Sharma, had received foreign funds without FCRA registration.
According to the ED, the money was shown as received under various heads such as business and management consultancy, public relations services, and family maintenance and savings from non-resident Indians. The agency also claimed that a portion was used for personal expenses, foreign travel and purchase of property.
The ED further alleged that foreign funds were used to facilitate conversions among the Valmiki community belonging to the SC category in Jaipur and among ST tribal groups in southern Rajasthan. The case has been registered under the Foreign Exchange Management-related provisions and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, officials said.
