The Jaipur Zonal Office of the ED conducted a search operation at two premises in Jaipur on August 21, 2026, under FEMA, 1999. This action was taken in connection with the misuse of foreign donations exceeding ₹2 crore, which were received without FCRA registration and utilized for purposes other than those declared. Various incriminating documents and digital devices were seized during the search operation.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Jaipur Zonal Office, conducted searches at two premises in Jaipur on August 21, 2026, under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA). This action was taken in connection with the alleged misuse of foreign donations worth over ₹2 crore received without FCRA registration and used for purposes other than their stated purpose.
The ED initiated investigation under the provisions of FEMA, 1999 on the basis of information/intelligence that Pastor Ravi Mohan Pahadia, a Protestant missionary affiliated with Hope Ministry, was receiving approximately Rs. 10,000 crore from Thomas Eugene Lynch, a US-based donor, primarily for religious conversion and proselytizing activities among the Scheduled Caste-Valmiki ST-Mill communities in Jaipur and tribal dominated South Rajasthan respectively.
Illegally receiving foreign funds worth Rs 2.20 crore.
The investigation revealed that Ravi Mohan Pahariya and his wife, Gunjan Sharma, received approximately ₹23.4 million (approximately ₹23.4 million) in foreign remittances. This money was primarily intended for business and management consulting and public relations services, and as remittances from Indian non-residents for family maintenance and savings. The majority of this money came from US-based donor Thomas
E. Lynch.
Several incriminating documents and digital devices were seized during the search operation. Further investigation also revealed that Ravi Mohan Pahadia received huge foreign funds amounting to Rs 2.88 crore as donations without FCRA permission and by misrepresenting the purpose and ultimately used these funds for personal expenses, foreign travel and purchase of properties in his name.
Apart from this, prima facie it has also come to light that he is in regular contact with foreign nationals and on their instructions, he is involved in organizing meetings and religious gatherings for religious propagation/conversion activities among the deprived and tribal people of various states.
Further investigation is ongoing.
