A multi-state financial trail involving foreign-issued debit cards has come under the scanner of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), with investigative findings pointing to structured cash withdrawals routed through the Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected belt of Chhattisgarh as part of a wider network under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Search operations conducted on April 18 and 19, 2026 at six locations across multiple states have brought to light a pattern of fund inflows into India through foreign banking channels, followed by systematic withdrawals from ATMs. The probe is linked to activities associated with a movement identified as ‘The Timothy Initiative (TTI)’ and individuals connected to it.

 

The organisation is stated to be not registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Investigative inputs indicate that foreign debit cards linked to Truist Bank, USA were brought into India and used repeatedly across various states for cash withdrawals. These transactions were carried out outside conventional banking routes, suggesting attempts to bypass regulatory monitoring mechanisms. The financial trail indicates that approximately Rs 95 crore was channelled into India between November 2025 and April 2026 using such foreign-issued debit cards.

 

Of this, withdrawals amounting to around Rs 6.5 crore have been traced to Dhamtari and Bastar districts of Chhattisgarh, regions identified as part of the LWE-affected belt. Officials analysing the transactions have observed a recurring pattern of ATM withdrawals, indicating a planned mechanism to extract large volumes of cash while remaining outside formal financial scrutiny. The spread and frequency of transactions point towards involvement of multiple individuals from different parts of country.

 

During investigation, 24 foreign debit cards were recovered from an individual identified as Micah Mark, who was intercepted by Bureau of Immigration at Bengaluru International Airport on the basis of a Look Out Circular issued in the case while bringing the cards into India. Subsequent searches resulted in seizure of 25 foreign debit cards, cash Rs 40 lakh, and digital devices and documents. Investigators have also identified the use of an online billing and accounting platform, reportedly operated by entities based outside India, which was being used to maintain records of withdrawals and their utilisation. Officials have noted that such cash-based fund movement systems, particularly in LWE-affected regions, raise concerns regarding financial integrity and potential misuse of funds.