The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an FIR against US-based Christian missionary organisation The Timothy Initiative (TTI) and six of its functionaries for allegedly conspiring to withdraw foreign funds amounting to Rs 92.5 crore from ATMs across India using overseas debit cards, in violation of provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). The alleged withdrawals took place between November 2025 and April 2026.The agency has further alleged in the FIR that, in addition to the funds withdrawn during the aforementioned period, the accused, in collusion with the organisation, withdrew another Rs 44 crore through the same modus operandi between January and March 2026 from various states, including Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Assam.The Union Home Ministry directed CBI to probe the matter on July 1 this year, after the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) flagged the issue to the government on June 4. ED requested the ministry’s FCRA wing to take “appropriate action”, including registering an FIR against the six individuals and TTI.The six individuals named in CBI’s FIR are Jonathan Rajan, Micah Mark, Ajit Verghese Mathai, Varghese Chacko, Bablu Kurmi and Supreme Joy. TTI has also been named as an accused.The CBI FIR, a copy of which is with The Tribune and which was filed on August 27, names several TTI functionaries, including Jonathan S Rajan, described as the overall operations head; Micah Mark, identified as a key financial operative who was caught at Kempegowda International Airport on April 24 while allegedly carrying 24 debit cards; and Ajit Verghese Mathai, the finance head. Three field functionaries — Bablu Kurmi, Supreme Joy and Varghese Chacko — along with unknown persons and the organisation itself have also been named as accused.The accused have been booked under provisions relating to the receipt and use of foreign funds under the FCRA, criminal conspiracy under the BNS, and offences under the Information Technology (IT) Act.CBI has alleged in the FIR that the suspects, as part of the alleged conspiracy, “coordinated and withdrew foreign funds through various ATMs across India using foreign debit cards, issued by Truist Bank of USA”.TTI is not registered in India under the FCRA, a law governing the receipt and utilisation of foreign contributions by organisations in India. Its website currently displays a message stating, “Country Blocked. Access to this page is forbidden”.ED had raided the organisation and its office-bearers in April under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), during which it allegedly detected the irregularities. The agency had alleged that the foreign funds were being moved to exert Naxal influence.According to the CBI FIR, Mark had made multiple foreign trips and returned with foreign debit cards. “Mark is a key person in the financial operations of TTI in India. Over 1,000 such debit cards have been distributed in India over the past few years,” the FIR states.