NEW DELHI: The ministry of home affairs has cancelled the licenses of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT) named after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The licenses were cancelled after these organizations linked to the Nehru family were found to have committed irregularities in receiving foreign funds. It is indicated that the investigations related to this will be handed over to the CBI.

Registration under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) is mandatory to receive foreign funds. The cancellation makes the two NGOs ineligible to receive foreign funds.

RGF is headed by former Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram are members of the organization. RGCT is also headed by Sonia Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi, former Rajya Sabha member Dr Ashok S Ganguly are the members.

A ministerial panel had conducted an investigation against these organizations in 2020. The committee recommended action after irregularities were noticed. RGCT was established in 2002 for the upliftment of the underprivileged people of the country. A team comprising ED, home and finance ministry officials and the CBI investigated about the trusts.