ED complaint leads to UAPA case against those associated with U.S.-based Christian missionary

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The Kothanur constabulary connected Thursday (June 11, 2026) registered a lawsuit nether the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) against respective individuals, including members linked to a U.S.-based Christian missionary organisation, The Timothy Initiative (TTI), pursuing a ailment filed by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED).

The First Information Report (FIR) was registered based connected a ailment submitted by Sunil Kumar Sinhmar, an serviceman of the Directorate of Enforcement, Ministry of Finance, New Delhi. Those named successful the lawsuit see Jonathan S. Rajan, Micah Mark, Ajit Verghese Mathai, Varghese Chacko, Bablu Kurmi, Supreme Joy, The Timothy Initiative (USA), and others.

Search and seizure

According to the complaint, the Enforcement Directorate conducted hunt and seizure operations connected April 18 and 19, 2026, astatine aggregate locations nether provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999. During the searches, investigators allegedly uncovered a web that utilized foreign-issued debit cards to transmission and retreat funds successful India connected behalf of TTI.

The ED alleged that overseas debit cards issued by banks successful the United States were distributed and utilized crossed India to retreat currency from ATMs, bypassing regulatory mechanisms. Investigators assertion that astir ₹92.55 crore (approximately $9.99 million) was utilised done specified transactions betwixt November 2025 and April 2026, portion astir ₹44 crore was withdrawn betwixt January 2024 and March 2026 crossed Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Assam and different States.

LWE region

According to the complaint, respective of the transactions occurred successful Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected regions, peculiarly successful Chhattisgarh. Investigators fishy that the funds were routed done a web of operatives and distributed utilizing overseas debit cards allegedly issued nether fictitious identities.

The ED further alleged that Jonathan S. Rajan was overseeing TTI’s operations successful India, portion Micah Mark was progressive successful fiscal absorption and debit paper distribution. Ajit Verghese Mathai allegedly coordinated fiscal transactions done assorted entities and beforehand organisations, portion Varghese Chacko, Bablu Kurmi and Supreme Joy were accused of facilitating currency withdrawals and money organisation connected the ground.

During the searches, officials reportedly recovered aggregate overseas debit cards and fiscal records. The ailment besides alleges that integer records and information connected to the transactions were remotely deleted from servers controlled from the United States aft the probe commenced, amounting to demolition of evidence.

The Enforcement Directorate contended that the alleged question of overseas funds into delicate and LWE-affected areas without regulatory compliance constituted unlawful enactment nether the UAPA, 1967. The bureau further alleged that the funds could person been utilized to enactment activities detrimental to nationalist information and nationalist order.

No arrests

Based connected these allegations, Kothanur constabulary registered the FIR and launched an probe into the matter. No arrests person been reported truthful far.

Published - June 13, 2026 02:09 p.m. IST

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