The Uttar Pradesh excise department arrested prominent climate activist Harjeet Singh on Tuesday for allegedly keeping “excess” liquor at his home. The arrest came a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched in connection with a foreign exchange violation case, involving the alleged misuse of ₹6 crore received from abroad and activities aimed at narrative-building for foreign influencer groups, the agency said, as reported by PTI.
Singh breaks silence
However, in an interview with Newslaundry on Wednesday, Singh denied the ED’s claims that he influenced government decisions. He stated, “I have never worked with the government,” and added that officials had misunderstood civil society’s stance on climate change.
He described the government’s stance as a failure to understand civil society. “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,” said Singh, as reported by Newslaundry.
Satat Sampada, the organisation run by climate activist Harjeet Singh and his wife, said the Enforcement Directorate’s allegations against the firm and its founder were baseless, biased and misleading, PTI reported.
The federal agency on January 5 carried out searches at the company’s office as well as the couple’s residence as part of an investigation under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
In a statement to PTI, Satat Sampada said that it was constrained to share further details on this action “as the matter was subjudice”.
“We categorically state that the allegations being reported are baseless, biased, and misleading,” it said.
ED found Indian liquor, IMFL found at Singh’s residence
The ED said it found Indian liquor and IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) “beyond permissible limits” (about ₹45 litres) during the Monday searches at his residence in Ghaziabad as it shared pictures of brands like Chivas 12 and Glenmorangie in the press statement.
It said the information was shared with local excise authorities who seized the excess liquor and arrested Singh for “contravention” of the UP state excise laws.
The ED said its probe found that while SSPL “projects” itself as an agro-based company engaged in promoting organic farming and marketing organic produce, it was just a “front” activity.
“The company’s primary activity appears to be channelling foreign funds to run narratives furthering the FF-NPT (the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty) cause in India on behalf of foreign influencer groups,” the ED claimed.
The FF-NPT is a proposed international treaty aiming to phase out fossil fuel production.
It added that the financial trajectory of SSPL found that before 2020-21, the company operated at a loss with minimal consultancy revenue.
Post-2021, coinciding with the receipt of over ₹6.5 crore in foreign remittances, SSPL turned profitable by booking these funds as revenue from “consultancy services” and “agro-product sales.” The shareholders of SSPL, Harjeet Singh and Jyoti Awasthi, “diverted” funds received from foreign NGOs to their personal accounts for private use, the federal probe agency said.
The ED said while FF-NPT is presented as a climate initiative, its adoption could expose India to legal challenges in international forums like the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and severely compromise the nation’s energy security and economic development, PTI reported.
It was also alleged by the ED that the ₹6 crore remittances were received by SSPL between 2021-25 in the garb of “consultancy” charges from foreign entities including Climate Action Network (CAN) and STAND.EARTH etc., which have in-turn received huge funds from prior reference category NGOs like Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
However, cross-verification of filings made by the remitters abroad indicates that the funds were actually intended to promote the agenda of the FF-NPT within India, it said.
The ED said the couple, previously engaged with Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA), used SSPL to “advance” their activism.
The agency said it was investigating Singh’s visit to Pakistan in February 2025 for the ‘Breathe Pakistan Summit’ and the various persons he met there.
Singh travelled to Bangladesh, Pakistan
It added that he also travelled to Bangladesh in December 2025 when “anti-India” protests were being held in the neighbouring country and delivered a lecture at the Sher-e-Bangla University without any official invitation and met various individuals “unconnected” to the stated purpose.
The funding for these trips is also under scrutiny, the ED said.
“The agency is investigating the full extent of the suspected violations of FEMA and whether the activities funded were against the national interest, specifically India’s energy security.
“Further investigation into the financial trail, the role of the foreign funding entities, and the activities of the directors is under progress,” it said.
(With inputs from PTI)
Key Takeaways
- The arrest of Harjeet Singh highlights the tensions between climate activism and governmental scrutiny.
- Allegations of foreign funding raise questions about the legitimacy of environmental initiatives.
- The narrative surrounding climate activism in India is complex, with significant implications for national policy and security.