Rs 95 crore flow: ED probes Evangelical mission TTI

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched an investigation into The Timothy Initiative (TTI), a global evangelical Christian mission, over the alleged use of foreign debit cards to channel nearly Rs 95 crores into India, with significant cash withdrawals in Maoist-affected, sensitive regions of Chhattisgarh.

“The probe, registered under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), highlights serious concerns over bypassing foreign funding regulations and the emergence of a parallel cash economy in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) zones,” well-placed sources in the probe agency said.

Notably, the ED officials conducted extensive searches at six locations across multiple States on April 18-19, 2026. They seized 25 foreign debit cards linked to Trust Bank in the United States, Rs 40 lakhs in cash and incriminating digital devices and documents. An online billing and accounting platform purportedly controlled from outside India, used to record cash withdrawals and their utilisation for TTI activities, was also uncovered during the probe.

ED sources revealed that foreign debit cards were smuggled into India and used for repeated high-value ATM withdrawals nationwide. Approximately Rs 95 crores were channelled between November 2025 and April 2026. At a time when Indian security forces have succeeded in ending the Naxal menace from the face of the country, the ‘unusual and suspicious withdrawals’ totalling about Rs 6.5 crore over the past few years in Naxal violence-hit areas, including Dhamtari district and the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, are concerning.

Investigations have revealed that the withdrawn cash funded TTI’s operations in India. ED suspects an organised network was behind these questionable transactions to evade regulatory scrutiny.

A breakthrough came when Bureau of Immigration officers, acting on an ED Look-out Circular (LOC), intercepted foreign national Micah Mark at Bengaluru International Airport. He was carrying 24 foreign debit cards.

Probe agencies say TTI is not registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), thus making it illegal for the organisation to receive or utilise foreign funds directly. Its India-specific web portal currently displays “Country Blocked. Access to this page is forbidden.” TTI describes itself as an evangelical movement focused on gospel preaching, training children aged between 4 to14 and multiplying disciple-making churches in unreached areas through local partners.

The ED has warned that such activities risk creating a parallel cash-based economy in Naxalite-affected regions. It poses a serious threat to the security and financial integrity of India and is potentially facilitating illicit funds for unlawful activities. The concentration of withdrawals in sensitive LWE zones has alarmed the central agencies, as it involves national security.

The case underscores the ongoing Indian Government’s efforts to enforce FCRA compliance and curb unregulated foreign inflows, especially in vulnerable tribal and insurgency-prone areas where Christian missions often operate among indigenous communities. Further probes into the full network, including overseas entities behind the accounting platform, are underway, sources added.

“This development comes amid broader scrutiny of foreign-funded religious organisations in India, raising questions about transparency in missionary funding while highlighting risks in conflict zones. The ED’s action signals tighter oversight on cross-border financial flows bypassing official banking channels,” sources added.