Karnataka High Court Refuses to Quash UAPA Case Against Timothy Initiative Associates
The Karnataka High Court has declined to interfere with a criminal case registered against six individuals associated with the US-based Christian missionary organisation The Timothy Initiative (TTI) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). The case involves allegations of illegally using foreign-issued debit cards to withdraw and channel funds in India's Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas, bypassing regulatory mechanisms.
On July 1, Justice M. Nagaprasanna dismissed petitions filed by Micah Mark, Jonathan S. Rajan, Ajit Verghese Mathai, Varghese Chacko, Bablu Kurmi, and Supreme Joy, all associated with TTI. The petitioners had challenged the legality of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Kothanur police in Bengaluru on June 11, 2026, following a complaint by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED alleged that the accused used foreign-issued debit cards to channel and withdraw funds in India for TTI without complying with regulatory mechanisms. The ED contended that the movement of foreign funds into sensitive and LWE-affected areas without regulatory compliance constituted unlawful activity under the UAPA. The ED further alleged that the funds could have been used to support activities detrimental to national security and public order.
According to the ED complaint, foreign debit cards issued by banks in the United States were distributed and used across India to withdraw cash from ATMs, bypassing regulatory mechanisms. Investigators claim that nearly ₹92.55 crore (approximately $9.99 million) was utilised through such transactions between November 2025 and April 2026, while around ₹44 crore was withdrawn between January 2024 and March 2026 across Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Assam and other states.
Several transactions reportedly occurred in LWE-affected regions, particularly in Chhattisgarh. Investigators suspect that the funds were routed through a network of operatives and distributed using foreign debit cards allegedly issued under fictitious identities. During searches on April 18 and 19, 2026, under provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999, officials reportedly found multiple foreign debit cards and financial records.
The complaint also alleges that digital records and data connected to the transactions were remotely deleted from servers controlled from the United States after the investigation commenced, amounting to destruction of evidence.
The court's decision does not determine the guilt or innocence of the accused, but merely upholds the investigation under the UAPA. The case continues to be investigated by law enforcement authorities.
