'Funding is Oxygen for Extremism': Karnataka HC Refuses to Quash Rs 92 Crore Naxal Funding FIR

 

The Karnataka High Court has dismissed the petition filed by six individuals seeking to quash the FIR registered against them in the foreign funding-naxal link case. Observing that the matter involves serious allegations and that the investigation is still at a preliminary stage, the court ruled that there was no justification to interfere with or quash the FIR at this point.

 

The case came to light during an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into suspected illegal foreign funding entering India. The ED found that a large amount of money had been routed into the country in violation of legal provisions and shared its findings with the Karnataka Police, which subsequently registered an FIR and initiated an investigation.

 

 

According to the investigation agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), an American Christian missionary organisation, The Timothy Initiative (TTI), is under scrutiny. Agencies allege that individuals associated with TTI channelled crores of rupees into India through foreign funding.

 

 

Between November 2025 and April 2026, around ₹92.55 crore was utilised in violation of foreign funding regulations. Additionally, between January 2024 and March 2026, nearly 44 crore rupees were reportedly withdrawn through ATMs across multiple states.

 

According to the ED, several foreign-issued debit cards linked to a bank in the United States were recovered in India and used to withdraw cash from different locations. The agency further claimed that more than 1,000 foreign debit cards were operated using a single common name to conceal the identities of the actual users.

 

 

The investigation gained momentum after Micah Mark, from whom 24 foreign debit cards were recovered, was arrested at Bengaluru Airport in April 2026. Following his arrest, investigators expanded the probe to examine the larger network involved in the operation.

 

 

Micah Mark argued before the court that the ED had no legal authority to share the information with the Karnataka Police. He also contended that there was no concrete evidence linking him or the other accused to Naxal or terrorist activities, maintaining that they were engaged only in social and religious work.

 

However, the government and investigation agencies informed the court that the matter was not merely a case of financial irregularities but also involved concerns related to national security. They argued that the investigation was at a critical stage and that quashing the FIR would adversely affect the probe.

 

 

The High Court observed that it was not required to determine the guilt or innocence of the accused at this stage. Instead, the court said the present consideration was whether a prima facie case existed to justify an investigation. Finding the allegations serious and the investigation incomplete, the court rejected the plea to quash the FIR.

 

 

With the High Court refusing to interfere, the Karnataka Police and the ED will continue their investigation into the foreign funding network and its suspected links. The court has clarified that it has not declared any of the accused guilty but has only held that there are sufficient grounds for the investigation to proceed. The final determination of guilt or innocence will be made only after the investigation is completed and the trial concludes.