Anand Joshi, an Under Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) who was under scanner for Foreign Currency Regulation Act (FCRA) notices to Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs), went missing from his residence here, leaving behind a note claiming he was facing “mental harassment” and had made too many “enemies” while serving the nation. After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against him, Joshi had on Tuesday claimed that he was pressurised by his superior to give clean chit to some of the NGOs who were served FCRA notices, including the Ford Foundation.
He was last seen around 2 am, following which he went to sleep, his wife Minakshi Sharma said at their residence in Indirapuram in the neighbouring Ghaziabad. “When I woke up around 7.30 am, the main door was ajar and he (Joshi) wasn’t there. I later found the note he left behind,” she said.
Police teams rushed to the senior officer’s house after they were informed about hid mysterious disappearance. They recorded wife’s statement.
Joshi left his Indirapuram home early on Wednesday morning and left behind an emotional letter addressed to his wife Meenakshi. In the letter, he claimed that he was subjected to “severe mental harassment” and said he had never imagined that his ‘patriotism’ and ‘integrity’ would lead to such a situation.
In the Hindi note addressing his wife, Joshi said, “I have been going through extremely high mental harassment for the past few months but now the situation has got out of hand... At this moment I need peace and that is not possible here.
“I am leaving home and please do not look for me. You (Minakshi) are now both a father and a mother to our children.”
“The dedication and integrity with which I was serving the nation, I had never imagined that this would happen to me... While serving my nation, I have probably made too many enemies.”
A case was registered against Joshi by CBI in connection with Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, (FCRA) notices to NGOs. His house was searched by the agency on Tuesday.
Joshi had claimed that he was “being pressurised and threatened by Additional Secretary in the Home Ministry B K Prasad to give clean chit to some of the NGOs” which he had refused to obey. Prasad, who is heading the Foreigners Division handling NGOs and issues related to FCRA, denied the allegations levelled against him.
Meanwhile, with Joshi accusing his superior Additional Secretary BK Prasad for pressurizing him to favour certain NGOs, the Union Home Ministry on Wednesday ordered an internal probe to find out if more skeletons are there in the closet.
North Block sources said an internal inquiry was ordered following reports by Intelligence agencies that Joshi may have been made a scapegoat and a section of other officials of the ministry’s Foreigners’ division could be running a bigger extortion racket, demanding bribes from NGOs and registered societies on the pretext of favouring them, sources said.
Sources said Joshi alleged that he was offered “crores of rupees” by his superiors to give clean chits to NGOs but he had protested and was being framed for this.
CBI sleuths who searched his residence said Joshi’s 2-bedroom apartment does not even have sofa sets and there are no signs that he could be involved in such larger racket.