ED Raids a Climate NGO Alleging FEMA Violation for Promoting Transition Away from Fossil Fuels

Key Points

This has to do with the NGO's association with the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FF-NPT), which the ED alleges threatens India's energy security.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday, 5 January 2026, carried out searches at premises linked to Satat Sampada Pvt. Ltd., a climate advocacy and agro based company run by prominent climate activist Harjeet Singh, in connection with alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

The agency claimed the organisation is suspected of receiving foreign funds to “run narratives to influence government policies in the energy sector”, referring to the NGO participation in the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FF-NPT) Initiative.

According to officials, the searches covered an office, a business store and residential premises connected to the company and its founders in Delhi, Ghaziabad and Noida. Satat Sampada also runs an associated entity, the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation. Both are co-founded by climate activist Harjeet Singh and Jyoti Awasthi.

A senior ED official said the agency is examining the end use of foreign exchange received from overseas organisations and whether the funds were channeled through consultancy arrangements to influence policy discussions in India’s energy sector. The agency has not publicly disclosed documents or material seized during the searches to substantiate the allegations.

The ED investigation focuses on foreign remittances received by Satat Sampada between 2021 and 2025. Officials familiar with the probe said the total foreign funds under scrutiny exceed ₹6 crore. These remittances were allegedly received in the guise of consultancy charges. According to one official, cross verification of filings by overseas remitters suggested that the transfers were intended to support advocacy linked to the FF-NPT, an international civil society initiative that calls for a halt to the expansion of coal, oil and gas projects and a managed transition to renewable energy.

India is not a participant in the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. ED officials have claimed that promoting the initiative within India could have implications for the country’s energy security, a contention that forms part of the agency’s suspicion regarding the purpose of the foreign funds.

See Also: COP30 Draft Drops ‘Fossil Fuels,’ Triggering Global Backlash

Financial details cited by the agency indicate that Satat Sampada’s balance sheets show a significant change after 2021. According to officials, the organisation reported two main revenue streams between 2021 and 2024: sales of agro products and consultancy services, together amounting to about ₹9.22 crore. Of this, around ₹4.65 crore was shown as consultancy income. The ED has alleged that consultancy revenue appeared only after 2021 and that the organisation had previously been operating at a loss. It claims that foreign funds of approximately ₹6.52 crore were classified as consultancy revenue during this period.

Officials have also named some overseas entities as major funders, including Climate Action Network, Oyster HR and Stand Earth. The agency alleges that while Satat Sampada publicly projects activities such as promoting organic farming, sustainable agriculture and support for farmers, these initiatives were used as a cover for policy-oriented advocacy funded by foreign organisations. This threatens India’s energy security, the agency says.

Satat Sampada’s website, however, clearly lists just transition from fossil fuels as one the NGO’s objectives, which includes joining hands with the FF-NTP Initiative. The organisation’s stated work covers consultancy and research for developing a legal framework for the Fossil Fuel Treaty.

Satat Sampada describes its work as spanning sustainable agriculture, revival of traditional foods, marketing of safe food, just transition away from fossil fuels, and climate adaptation and resilience. Its climate foundation is involved in organic farming projects in parts of Ghaziabad, Bundelkhand and Uttarakhand.

Harjeet Singh is a well-known figure in international climate negotiations and has worked for over two decades as a non-governmental advocate, particularly on issues affecting developing countries. He has been associated with organisations such as ActionAid International, Climate Action Network and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative.

He is known for his role in background work related to the Loss and Damage Fund for climate vulnerable countries, established at the Dubai climate talks in 2023. He has also spoken out on many climate related issues in the country such as the recent Uttarakhand floods and the Aravalli definition judgement made by the Supreme Court.

As part of the raid, ED officials also claimed that more than 45 litres of “unlicensed liquor”, including premium international brands, were recovered from premises linked to Singh and Awasthi. Following this, local excise authorities in Ghaziabad said action would be initiated for alleged violations of excise rules. Officials said a separate FIR would be registered under excise laws.

No charges have been filed so far, and the agency has not indicated a timeline for concluding the probe.

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