IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 11-02-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE P.T. ASHA and WMP Nos.37152, 37153, 37156 & 37158 of 2025 Fr. P.A. Aruldoss Secretary, Pondicherry Multipurpose Social Service Society (PMSSS), No. 81 Laporte Street, Puducherry 605 001 ..Petitioner(s)

Vs

1. The Union Of India Rep. By Secretary, Ministry Of Home Affairs, Foreign Division, NDCC II Building, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi 110001

2. The Joint Director (FCRA)

Foreigners II Division, MHA, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi 110 001 ..Respondent(s)

Prayer:- Writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of a writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records pertaining to impugned order dated 16.07.2025 communicated to the petitioner association vide email dated 30.07.2025 by rejecting the petitioner Association revision petition by the respondents bearing File No. 3100001802024 and quash the same and consequently direct the respondents to renew the certificate/ registration of the petitioner issued under the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation ) Act 2010 bearing FCRA Registration No. 285130006R calling for the records pertaining to penalty notice bearing Notice ID - 3000001002025 dated 7.05.2025 issued by the 1st respondent (Monitoring wing) against the petitioner.

For Petitioner(s): Mr.G.Viswanathan For Respondent(s): Mr.V.Chandrasekaran, SPC

ORDER

This Writ Petition has been filed for the following reliefs:-

“ calling for the records pertaining to impugned order dated 16.07.2025 communicated to the petitioner association vide email dated 30.07.2025 by rejecting the petitioner Association revision petition by the respondents bearing File No. 3100001802024 and quash the same and consequently direct the respondents to renew the certificate/ registration of the petitioner issued under the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation ) Act 2010 bearing FCRA Registration No. 285130006R calling for the records pertaining to penalty notice bearing Notice ID - 3000001002025 dated 7.05.2025 issued by the 1st respondent (Monitoring wing) against the petitioner.”

2. Brief Facts:-

3. The petitioner is the Secretary of the Pondicherry Multipurpose Social Services Society (PMSSS). The said Society is duly registered under the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, and is authorized to receive foreign contributions in accordance with law. The Society has been utilising foreign contribution funds to support the education of poor and underprivileged students. The said Society has been functioning effectively for the past 46 years without any complaint regarding the misuse of foreign contributions.

4. On 17.09.2021, the Society had applied for renewal of its registration.

The said application was rejected by the respondent by order dated 27.03.2024 on the ground that, upon scrutiny, it was found that an FIR had been registered against Mr. Gregory Louis Joseph, the Treasurer of the Society, in Crime No. 39 of 2020. Aggrieved by the said rejection, the Society had filed a revision application on 18.04.2024. The said revision application was also dismissed by the 2^nd respondent on 16.07.2025, confirming the order dated 27.03.2024.

Challenging the same, the petitioner is before this Court.

5. Heard the learned counsel on either side and perused the records.

6. It is seen that the impugned order has been passed primarily on account of the pendency of a criminal case in Crime No.39 of 2020 against one Mr. Gregory Louis Joseph, the then Treasurer of the Society. However, a perusal of the records shows that Mr.Gregory Louis Joseph is no longer connected with the Society. That apart, the said Gregory Louis Joseph was also acquitted in the said criminal proceedings by judgment dated 03.03.2023 in S.T.C. No. 1960 of 2020. on the file of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Puducherry. Therefore, the ground on which the impugned order has been passed no longer exists.

7. In view o