In a significant development, well-known climate activist Harjeet Singh was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police in Ghaziabad on Tuesday under the state's excise laws. This arrest followed searches conducted a day earlier by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at premises linked to him, which allegedly led to the recovery of a large quantity of Indian and foreign-made liquor "beyond permissible limits."
ED's Wider Probe into Foreign Funding and Visits
The arrest is part of a broader investigation by the central agency. The ED is examining suspected misuse of foreign funds intended to allegedly influence government policies and undermine India's energy security. The agency's probe includes scrutinising Singh's visits to Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Specifically, the ED is investigating Singh's trip to Pakistan for the 'Breathe Pakistan Summit' in February last year. It is also tracking a more recent visit to Bangladesh last month, which coincided with anti-India protests there. The agency stated that during his Bangladesh trip, Singh delivered a lecture at Sher-e-Bangla University allegedly without an official invitation and met "various individuals unconnected to the stated purpose" of the visit.
The funding for these international trips is under scrutiny as part of an ongoing probe under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.
The Financial Trail and Allegations of a "Front" Company
The ED's searches on Monday targeted three premises in Delhi and Ghaziabad linked to Singh and the climate advocacy group he co-founded, Satat Sampada Pvt Ltd. The agency is investigating "suspicious foreign inward remittances" of over Rs 6 crore received by the company between 2021 and 2025.
According to the ED, these funds were received under the "garb of consultancy charges" from foreign entities like Climate Action Network and Stand.earth. These entities, the agency claims, themselves received funds from NGOs such as Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. The ED alleges that cross-verification shows the money was intended to promote the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FF-NPT) within India.
The ED described Satat Sampada, which promotes organic farming, as being used as a "front" to channel foreign funds for activism influenced from abroad. The agency alleged the company had minimal consultancy revenue and was running at a loss before 2020–21 but turned profitable by booking foreign remittances as revenue. It has also accused Singh and his wife, co-founder Jyoti Awasthi, of diverting funds to personal accounts for private use.
Legal Proceedings and Context of the Fossil Fuel Treaty
Following the ED's information, the UP Excise department filed a complaint in the early hours of Tuesday. The FIR stated that the liquor found at Singh's Ghaziabad residence was not valid for sale in UP and was prima facie more than the permissible holding capacity. Singh was subsequently arrested under sections of the UP Excise Act but was later granted bail by a local court.
The ED claims the adoption of the FF-NPT—a proposed treaty aimed at phasing out fossil fuel production, promoted by civil society groups—could expose India to legal challenges and "severely compromise" its energy security and economic development. It is important to note that there is no formal proposal for such a treaty under official discussion, and no country has ever proposed it at a climate meeting.
Harjeet Singh, a globally recognised figure in climate negotiations, has not responded to requests for comment on the searches, allegations, arrest, or claims about his foreign visits. The case continues to develop as the ED deepens its financial probe.
