The Enforcement Directorate is investigating a global Christian mission's use of foreign debit cards to withdraw crores of rupees in Naxal-affected regions, raising concerns about financial integrity and security.
Key Points
- Searches across multiple states led to the seizure of foreign debit cards, cash, and digital devices.
- The investigation focuses on The Timothy Initiative (TTI) and its financial activities in India.
- Suspicious cash withdrawals of approximately Rs 6.5 crore were made in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected regions.
- The ED suspects the cash withdrawals facilitated a parallel cash-based economy, posing a threat to India's security.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it is probing the use of foreign debit cards by a global Christian mission to withdraw crores in certain Maoist violence-hit regions of India.
The central agency conducted searches in multiple states on April 18-19 as part of the case registered under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), according to an official statement.
As many as 25 foreign debit cards, Rs 40 lakh in cash, and some "incriminating" digital devices and documents were seized during the raid, it said.
Investigation into The Timothy Initiative (TTI)
"The investigation pertains to the activities associated with a movement known as The Timothy Initiative (TTI) in India and persons connected with the movement," it said.
Debit cards linked to Truist Bank, USA were brought into India and used for "repeated" cash withdrawals from ATMs across the country, it added.
Further, the ED said, it found some "unusual" and "suspicious" cash withdrawals to the tune of Rs 6.5 crore over the last few years using these cards in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected regions, including Dhamtari district and the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.
Concerns Over Unregistered Organisation's Expenses
According to the ED, the withdrawn cash was subsequently used to meet the expenses of TTI in India, an organisation which is not FCRA registered.
Checking the TTI web portal leads to a message saying "Country Blocked. Access to this page is forbidden."
The agency reported that Bureau of Immigration officers intercepted a man named Micah Mark upon his recent arrival at the Bengaluru International Airport in pursuance of a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by the ED.
He was found to be carrying 24 foreign debit cards.
Threat to Financial Integrity
The agency suspects these cards were used to withdraw large amounts of cash in a planned manner, indicating possible involvement of organised networks.
"Such emergence of a parallel cash-based economy in Naxalite-affected areas poses a serious threat to security and financial integrity of India and can facilitate the movement of illicit funds for unlawful activities," it said.
The agency also found an online billing and accounting platform that was used for maintaining records of these cash withdrawals.
The said platform is purportedly controlled by entities operating from outside India and about Rs 95 crore was channelled into India between November 2025 to April 2026, the ED said.
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