ED uncovers ‘suspected misuse’ of foreign funds to influence India’s energy policy

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday (January 6, 2026) said it has uncovered suspected misuse of foreign funds to influence government policies and undermine India’s energy security, during an inquiry under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) allegedly involving Ghaziabad-based Satat Sampada Private Limited (SSPL).

On January 5, the agency searched various premises linked to SSPL in the national capital region as part of an ongoing investigation into suspicious foreign inward remittances amounting to over ₹6 crore between 2021 and 2025, received by the company. It is run by a couple named Harjeet Singh and Jyoti Awasthi, said the ED statement.

Sharing the background of SSPL directors, the agency said Mr. Singh was “a self-proclaimed climate activist” and his wife was previously engaged with the Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA).

Mr. Singh’s allegedly visited Pakistan in February 2025 for the “Breathe Pakistan Summit”, and Bangladesh in December 2025 during a period of “anti-India protests”. In Bangladesh, he allegedly delivered a lecture at Sher-e-Bangla University “without any official invitation and met various individuals unconnected to the stated purpose”. The funding for these trips is also under scrutiny, said the agency.

It alleged that the remittances under investigation, labelled as “consultancy charges”, were from foreign entities including Climate Action Network (CAN) and STAND.EARTH etc., which had received huge funds from prior reference category non-government organisations (NGOs) “like Rockfellar Philanthropy Advisors”. Such entities require explicit clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs for funding activities in the country.

“However, cross-verification of filings made by the remitters abroad indicates that the funds were actually intended to promote the agenda of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FF-NPT) within India,” the ED alleged.

The agency said FF-NPT was a proposed international treaty aiming to phase out fossil fuel production. “While presented as a climate initiative, its adoption could expose India to legal challenges in international forums like the International Court of Justice and severely compromise the nation’s energy security and economic development,” the ED added.

Alleging that SSPL publicly projected itself as an agro-based company engaged in promoting organic farming and marketing organic produce, the ED said its probe suggested that it was rather a front activity and that the company’s primary activity appeared to be “channelling foreign funds to run narratives furthering the FF-NPT cause in India, on behalf of foreign influencer groups”.

According to the agency, before 2020-21 the company operated at a loss with minimal consultancy revenue. “Post-2021, coinciding with the receipt of over ₹6.5 crore in foreign remittances, SSPL turned profitable by booking these funds as revenue from ‘consultancy services’ and ‘agro-product sales’. The shareholders of SSPL, Harjeet Singh and Ms. Jyoti Awasthi, diverted funds received from foreign NGOs to their personal accounts for private use,” it also alleged.

During the searches on the residential premises of Mr. Singh in Ghaziabad, the ED also seized “a large cache of Indian and foreign-made liquor, beyond the permissible limits”. The matter was reported to the Uttar Pradesh State Excise Department, after which he was arrested for allegedly violating the State’s excise laws.