Bhopal:
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered a sprawling foreign funding network allegedly operating through clandestine cash withdrawals across India. The probe, linked to “The Timothy Initiative (TTI)”, has raised serious questions about the possible use of foreign money in Maoist-affected regions and, even more explosively, for alleged religious conversions.
Acting on intelligence inputs, the ED headquarters carried out coordinated search operations across six locations in multiple states.
What investigators found points to a meticulously designed system to bypass India’s financial regulations using foreign-issued debit cards to withdraw massive amounts of cash from ATMs across the country.
According to officials, 25 foreign bank debit cards, primarily linked to a US-based bank, along with Rs 40 lakh in cash, digital devices, and incriminating documents, were seized during the raids. The scale of the operation has stunned agencies; nearly Rs 95 crore is suspected to have been funnelled into India between November 2025 and April 2026 using this method.
The money trail, investigators say, does not end at financial irregularities.
A significant portion of these withdrawals has been traced to Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected regions, particularly Bastar in Chhattisgarh, where over Rs 6.5 crore was withdrawn in recent years. The pattern of withdrawals, spread across states and regions, indicates what officials describe as a “parallel cash economy” operating under the radar.
Sources within the probe have flagged a deeper concern that the withdrawn funds were allegedly used to finance activities of TTI India, an organisation not registered under FCRA norms, raising red flags about the legality of its operations. Investigators are now examining whether the funds were used for influencing vulnerable populations in conflict zones, including possible religious conversion activities.
The case has quickly snowballed into a political flashpoint.
BJP spokesperson Anurag Agarwal launched a sharp attack on the Congress, saying, “The same agency whose credibility Congress keeps questioning has now exposed a major nexus. The ED has opened a network of illegal conversions funded through foreign money. Congress has repeatedly tried to shield such activities by undermining investigative agencies.”
His remarks have added a charged political dimension to an already volatile investigation.
The ED has also uncovered that an online billing and accounting platform, allegedly controlled from overseas, was being used to systematically record ATM withdrawals and track utilisation of funds, suggesting a highly organised and monitored operation rather than isolated financial misconduct.
Adding to the intrigue, one key accused, Micah Mark, was intercepted at Bengaluru airport against a lookout circular while allegedly bringing these foreign debit cards into India. Officials believe he could be a crucial link between overseas handlers and ground-level operatives.