India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has pulled the plug on the foreign funding license for SECMOL, the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh, run by well-known climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. The decision came into effect right away on Thursday, after officials uncovered serious violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). These included shady fund transfers and other rule-breaking moves that put the group’s ability to receive overseas donations in jeopardy.
SECMOL, based in the remote Ladakh region, focuses on education and cultural programs for local youth. But the ministry found multiple issues with how the organization handled foreign funds, starting from financial years 2020-21 and 2021-22. They issued a show-cause notice in August 2025, gave the group a chance to respond in September, and then reviewed everything before canceling the FCRA registration under Section 14 of the law.
Here’s what triggered the FCRA license cancellation:
First, in 2021-22, Sonam Wangchuk deposited about Rs 3.35 lakh into SECMOL’s FCRA bank account. The group said it was money from selling an old bus bought years earlier with foreign funds. But ministry checks showed mismatches in the records— the cash seemed to skip proper banking channels, and it wasn’t listed correctly as a foreign donation. This broke FCRA rules on fund deposits (Section 17) and reporting (Section 18).
Next, back in 2020-21, three Indian volunteers accidentally sent Rs 54,600 meant for their food and stay into the FCRA account instead of the regular local one. SECMOL admitted the mix-up but said their website clearly directs Indians to use the local account and foreigners the FCRA one. Still, the ministry ruled it a clear violation of Section 17, which bans mixing local money with foreign contributions.
Then there’s the big one: SECMOL got Rs 4.93 lakh from a Stockholm-based Swedish group called Framstidjorden. The funds went toward youth workshops on climate change, migration, organic farming, and even national sovereignty issues. The ministry saw the sovereignty angle as a red flag, arguing it harms India’s national interests and violates FCRA Section 12(4), which limits what foreign money can fund.
On top of that, the group returned Rs 19,600 to a donor named Megha Sanghavi. SECMOL owned up to it, but there’s no legal way under FCRA to send foreign cash back like that. Officials worry this could lead to misuse or personal gains, going against registration conditions in Section 7(1)(a).
Finally, for 2020-21, SECMOL reported receiving Rs 79,200 in foreign funds but never deposited it into the FCRA account. Instead, they deducted it straight from staff salaries and fellows’ stipends as “food fees,” then spent it on meals. The ministry called this sloppy accounting that hides the foreign source, breaking Sections 17, 18, and 19 on proper handling and disclosure.
With all these FCRA violations piling up—from fund mixing and poor records to funding sensitive topics—the ministry had no choice but to act. The order stresses that SECMOL’s actions went against the law’s core goal: keeping foreign contributions transparent and in line with India’s interests. This FCRA cancellation means the group can’t accept or use foreign donations anymore, hitting their work in Ladakh’s education and climate efforts hard.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
