Prominent climate activist Harjeet Singh was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh excise department on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, for allegedly keeping liquor beyond permissible limits at his Ghaziabad residence. This arrest followed a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at his home in connection with a foreign exchange violation case.
ED Alleges Misuse of Foreign Funds for Advocacy
The federal probe agency claims Singh's company, SSPL, received over ₹6.5 crore in foreign remittances between 2021 and 2025. The ED alleges these funds, received from entities like Climate Action Network (CAN) and STAND.EARTH, were meant to promote the agenda of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FF-NPT) in India, but were booked as revenue from consultancy and agro-product sales.
The ED stated that SSPL, which projects itself as an agro-based organic farming company, acted as a "front" to channel foreign funds. The agency's probe found that shareholders Harjeet Singh and Jyoti Awasthi allegedly diverted these funds to personal accounts for private use.
Activist Breaks Silence, Denies Government Influence
In an interview with Newslaundry on Wednesday, Harjeet Singh broke his silence and strongly denied the ED's claims. "I have never worked with the government," Singh stated. He argued that officials misunderstood civil society's stance on climate change.
"Unfortunately, the Indian government is unable to understand the viewpoint of civil society and activists like us, who are actually in line with what the government is saying," Singh told the publication, describing the government's stance as a failure to understand civil society.
Excise Arrest and Scrutiny of Foreign Travel
The immediate cause for Singh's arrest was the discovery of Indian liquor and IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) beyond permissible limits, estimated at about 45 litres, during the ED searches. Brands like Chivas 12 and Glenmorangie were pictured. The ED shared this information with local excise authorities, who then arrested Singh for contravention of UP state excise laws.
The agency's investigation also scrutinized Singh's foreign travel. It is probing his visit to Pakistan in February 2025 for the 'Breathe Pakistan Summit' and a trip to Bangladesh in December 2025. The ED noted he delivered a lecture at Sher-e-Bangla University without an official invitation during a period of anti-India protests in Bangladesh.
The ED is investigating whether the activities funded by the foreign remittances were against national interest, specifically India's energy security. The agency warned that the adoption of the FF-NPT could expose India to legal challenges in international forums like the ICJ and compromise economic development.
Further investigation into the financial trail and the role of foreign funding entities is ongoing.
