Case filed against journalist Rana Ayyub over charity fund

New Delhi: Journalist and a known crusader against the right-wing in India, Rana Ayyub, has been booked for the alleged discrepancy found in the use of money collected through crowdfunding for charity by her.

The case has been registered based on a complaint by a 'Hindu IT Cell' co-founder, who said that she had received money through illegal means for which the Law Enforcement agencies had sent notices to her.

A week before the crowdfunding platform Ketto had sent notices to people who have donated to her charity call referring to the Law Enforcement agencies that had informed that the funds raised in the campaigns were not utilised for the purpose for which the money was raised and the funds are still in the accounts of the respective campaigns as unutilised.

Meanwhile, both Rana and the representatives of Ketto have reportedly stayed aloof from answering the allegations.

Rana was said to have begun three campaigns to extend financial aid to slum dwellers and farmers, relief work for Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra and the people who have been affected by the COVID pandemic in the country.

"When enquired by Ketto, the campaigner has intimated that out of the total funds received (about 1.90 crores INR net) and 1.09 lakhs USD (net) for these campaigns (total around Rs 2.69 crore approx), only a portion has been spent (about 1.25 crores), and certain amounts have been or will be paid as taxes (about 90 lakhs). The balance funds, after these debits, are still retained by the campaigner," the e-mail to donators by Ketto said.

The FIR has been registered under IPC sections 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 418 (cheating with the knowledge that wrongful loss may ensue to person whose interest offender is bound to protect), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), section 66D of the IT Act and section 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.