New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed an FIR against a man in Aligarh for setting up a ‘Centre for Narendra Modi Studies (CNMS)’ without having obtained permission from the government or PMO, The Indian Express reported.
The FIR was registered on October 24 following a complaint by the PMO on March 26, just as an advocate of a civil court filed a separate complaint accusing the man of running the centre violating the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950.
Meanwhile the CNMS website reportedly claimed that the centre was registered as trust under Indian Trusts Act, 1882, in Uttar Pradesh, adding that ‘This Centre operates solely as a non-governmental entity and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of India, Any States Government or any political party.’
In the wake of FIR against it, the CNMS stated that it was ‘legally registered as a non-profit academic trust at Tehsil Koil, District Aligarh (UP) on January 2021.
Adding further it stated: ‘The Trust’s name was later changed to Centre for NaMo Studies (CNMS) after completing all legal formalities and registration… All processes were completed transparently and in good faith.’
After it received a complaint from the assistant director, PMO, the CBI initiated a probe in April this year.
The CBI FIR reportedly said: ‘The preliminary inquiry revealed that the Centre for Narendra Modi Studies was registered on January 25, 2021, under the Indian Trust Act, 1860, by Jasim Mohammad without prior permission from the Central government or the PMO.’