Photo Courtesy: nenow
Itanagar: The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a case against Arunachal Pradesh environmental activist and lawyer Bhanu Tatak. Investigators claim Tatak violated the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act by routing over Rs 17.6 lakh into her personal savings account. She allegedly bypassed mandatory registration requirements to receive these funds.
The agency reports the money originated from several foreign entities: the Philippines-based Asia Indigenous Peoples Network on Extractive Industries and Energy, Indigenous Peoples Rights International, the Ireland-based Front Line, and the United Kingdom-based Human Rights Resource Centre. Officials allege these funds were used to “organise and sustain” protests against major hydropower projects.
Tatak serves as a legal adviser for the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum and coordinates the Dibang Resistance group. These organizations have spearheaded opposition to the 12,500-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project on the Siang River and the 2,880-megawatt Dibang Multipurpose Hydropower Project. Farmers claim the Siang project threatens the existence of the indigenous Adi community.
The FIR lists charges under sections 11(1), 17, 19, and 35 of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. Investigators further allege Tatak failed to file income tax returns between the 2017-18 and 2025-26 financial years. Consequently, these foreign receipts remained missing from official records. The CBI argues these activities damage the economic and strategic interests of the country.
Legal trouble is not new for Tatak. In September 2025, immigration officers at Delhi airport blocked her from flying to Ireland for an academic program at Dublin City University. A lookout circular issued by Arunachal Pradesh Police triggered the stop. At that time, she blasted the travel ban as an “arbitrary abuse of administrative power” against constitutional rights.
Updated at 16th September 2026 at 1:48am
New filings from the investigation paint a clearer picture of the alleged transactions. While initial reports cited a lower amount, the FIR suggests that between 2022 and 2025, foreign exchange transactions totaling Rs 20.94 lakh were credited to Tatak's State Bank of India account in Roing.
The investigation into these finances stems from a preliminary inquiry ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The case, which lists Tatak and unknown persons as targets, was formally registered on August 20.
Tatak has pushed back against the accusations. I am a law abiding citizen and have committed no violation of the law, she stated, noting that she is cooperating with the ongoing probe. She also pointed to her track record in conservation, including receiving the Bhagirath Prayas Samman Award for her river work in 2023.
Since the travel ban incident, Tatak has moved into the political arena, officially joining the Indian National Congress in Itanagar on December 2, 2025.
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