CBI Files Case Against US Mission for Withdrawing Crores via Foreign Debit Cards in India

Reporting based primarily on hindustantimes.com.

CBI Registers Case Against US Christian Mission

The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a case to investigate the violation of foreign contribution regulation act provisions by the US-based global Christian mission The Timothy Initiative in connection with the alleged illegal use of foreign debit cards to withdraw cash worth crores of rupees in certain Naxal-affected regions. [1] In its first information report filed on August 27, the CBI named several functionaries of The Timothy Initiative including Jonathan S Rajan as overall operations head, Micah Mark as the key financial operative, Ajit Verghese Mathai as finance head, and three field functionaries Bablu Kurmi, Supreme Joy and Varghese Chako along with unknown individuals and the organisation itself as accused. [1] They have been charged for violating sections pertaining to receiving and use of foreign funds under the FCRA, criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act. [1] The CBI has alleged in the FIR that the accused as part of a conspiracy coordinated and withdrew foreign funds through various ATMs across India using foreign debit cards issued by Truist Bank of USA. [1] Funds worth around ₹92.55 crore in contravention of legal provisions of FCRA were withdrawn from November 2025 to April 2026. [1]

ED Probe Triggers Investigation

The Enforcement Directorate wrote to the CBI in July seeking a probe in the matter. [1] The FIR followed raids conducted by the ED on the organisation and its office bearers in April under the foreign exchange management act during which irregularities were found. [1] Micah Mark was caught on April 24 at Kempegowda airport while carrying 24 debit cards. [1] The agency had alleged that these foreign funds were moved for Naxal influence. [1] Officials said the weblink became inaccessible in India and the cloud-based data maintained by the company in the US was remotely deleted from the back-end servers soon after the agency conducted the searches. [1]

Alleged Use of Foreign Debit Cards

The CBI has alleged in the FIR that the accused as part of a conspiracy coordinated and withdrew foreign funds through various ATMs across India using foreign debit cards issued by Truist Bank of USA. [1] Funds worth around ₹92.55 crore in contravention of legal provisions of FCRA were withdrawn from November 2025 to April 2026. [1] Further funds amounting to approx ₹44 crore were withdrawn using foreign debit cards across multiple states such as Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Assam from January 2024 to March 2026. [1] The Timothy Initiative is not registered in India under FCRA. [1] Mark is a key person in the financial operations of The Timothy Initiative in India and over 1,000 such debit cards have been distributed in India over the past few years. [1] The FIR further alleged that Mark had made multiple foreign trips and returned with foreign debit cards. [1]

Data Deletion and Inaccessible Website

After ED raids in April this year The Timothy Initiative global portal became inaccessible for India. [1] Further the data which is maintained on cloud as well as in the seized laptop has been deleted from the back-end through remote access of the servers and laptop which are maintained by The Timothy Initiative USA. [1] Officials said the weblink became inaccessible in India and the cloud-based data maintained by the company in the US was remotely deleted from the back-end servers soon after the agency conducted the searches. [1]

Court Ruling on National Security Threat

The Karnataka High Court while rejecting a plea of The Timothy Initiative office bearers ruled that one of the gravest threats to national security in the present times is the clandestine funding of extremism. [1] The agency had alleged that these foreign funds were moved for Naxal influence. [1]

Roles of Key Functionaries

Rajan and Mathai ensured the funds withdrawn from ATMs to be used for the activities of The Timothy Initiative across India which includes training preaching and brainwashing of poor people leading to left wing extremism among others. [1] He oversees the training organised by The Timothy Initiative the selection of individuals who conduct such training and the identification of venues. [1] As operations head he sends fund requirements to the finance team which in turn arranges illegal funding from The Timothy Initiative USA through the foreign debit cards in question. [1] Chacko Joy and Kurmi are field-level functionaries who have withdrawn funds in cash using the foreign debit cards at multiple ATMs and used the same for advancing the purposes of The Timothy Initiative. [1]

What to watch next: The CBI investigation into the charges under FCRA BNS and IT Act sections continues following the August 27 FIR and the earlier ED raids under FEMA.