New revelations have emerged about serious violations of India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by Ladakh climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. Top sources shared these details on Thursday, raising doubts about his financial dealings and true motives behind his activism.
Wangchuk, known for rallying public support on environmental and local issues in Leh, Ladakh, leads the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL). But sources point to major red flags in how his organizations handle foreign funds. For starters, HIAL accepted local donations directly into its FCRA-designated account. That’s a clear breach of Section 17 of the FCRA 2010, which bans mixing domestic and foreign contributions in the same account.
Even worse, HIAL received foreign money before ever applying for official FCRA registration—a direct violation of Section 11. In financial years 2020-21 and 2021-22, the NGO reported zero foreign income. Yet, bank records show it did get overseas remittances during that time. This not only breaks FCRA rules but also clashes with the Companies Act and Section 467 of the Indian Penal Code on falsifying records.
In 2023, Wangchuk and associate Geetanjali JB set up a for-profit company called Sheshyon Innovation Private Limited. Sources claim it was created to soak up excess funds piling up in HIAL’s books—money that built up without matching on-the-ground projects. Over Rs 6.5 crore moved from HIAL to this new company, they say.
The issues don’t stop there. Foreign funds flowed into Wangchuk’s personal and joint bank accounts, another straight-up FCRA no-no. From 2021 to March 2024, he sent crores of rupees overseas to unclear recipients, sparking money laundering worries. At the same time, his accounts kept receiving foreign cash.
HIAL’s finances have ballooned lately, jumping from Rs 6 crore in assessment year 2023-24 to over Rs 15 crore in 2024-25. But the NGO has seven bank accounts total, and sources say four went undeclared. It pulled in more than Rs 1.5 crore in foreign remittances without proper FCRA approval.
Wangchuk’s other group, the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), has nine accounts, with six undeclared. Sheshyon Innovation turned a slim 1.14% net profit on Rs 9.85 crore turnover in 2024-25—down from 6.13% the year before. That company has three accounts, two of them hidden from view. Wangchuk himself holds nine personal accounts, eight unreported, some loaded with foreign inflows.
Between 2018 and 2024, he received Rs 1.68 crore from abroad across various accounts. From 2021 to 2024, he wired out Rs 2.3 crore from his personal ones. Ironically, while Wangchuk often slams big corporations, his NGOs take hefty CSR donations from them, including government-owned firms. Sources highlight massive transfers from NGO accounts to his private company as a key concern.
These financial irregularities paint a troubling picture, sources say. “Wangchuk positions himself as a champion for the people,” they noted, “but this trail of misconduct suggests he’s using genuine Ladakh issues for personal or political benefit.” It could undermine real conversations on climate action and local rights in the region.
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