Foreign fund licence of Sonam Wangchuk’s NGO scrapped day after Ladakh violence

NEW DELHI, SEP 25 : The Ministry of Home Affairs has cancelled the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act licence of the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an institute founded by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, citing multiple violations of the Act.

This action comes after the protests for Ladakh’s statehood turned violent in Leh on Wednesday, with mobs indulging in arson and clashes that left four people dead and at least 80 injured, including 40 police personnel. Protesters attacked the BJP office, the Hill Council headquarters, and set vehicles ablaze before police and paramilitary forces used tear gas to restore order. Authorities later imposed a curfew in Leh.

Sonam Wangchuk’s NGO was registered under the FCRA with a Registration Certificate to receive foreign contributions for cultural and educational programmes. A Show Cause Notice was issued on August 20, 2025, followed by a reminder on September 10, asking Sonam’s NGO to explain why its licence should not be cancelled. The association responded on September 19.

The Ministry of Home Affairs examined the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh reply and listed several violations:

Irregular deposits: During 2021-22, Sonam Wangchuk deposited Rs 3.5 lakh in the association’s FCRA account, which the Ministry said violated Section 17 of the Act.

SECMOL argued it was the sale proceeds of an old bus bought with FCRA funds, but the Ministry found the reply “not tenable,” noting discrepancies in the filing and the absence of a corresponding credit entry.

Local funds in FCRA account: In Fiscal Year 2020-21, local funds of 54,600 from three individuals were deposited into the FCRA account, which the NGO admitted was an error by volunteers. The Ministry held this to be a violation of Section 17.

-PTI