In an unexpected turn of events, NewsClick’s founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha was arrested by the Delhi Police related to a case filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). These charges revolve around allegations of receiving funds for spreading pro-China propaganda.
This comes after the Delhi Police searched 30 locations connected with the online news portal and its journalists in a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations that it received money for pro-China propaganda.
Amit Chakravarty, who is the HR head of the company, was also arrested under the same charges.
Police sealed NewsClick’s office in Delhi and 46 suspects were questioned and digital devices, including laptops and mobile phones, and documents were taken away for examination.
Delhi Police Special Cell on Tuesday raided various locations of journalists in Delhi-NCR in connection with the UAPA case.
The searches began early in the morning and were concentrated in Delhi-NCR. Earlier in the day, portal founder and editor-in-chief Purkayastha was taken to the Special Cell’s office for questioning.
Among those questioned were journalists Urmilesh, Aunindyo Chakravarty, Abhisar Sharma, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta as well as historian Sohail Hashmi, satirist Sanjay Rajoura and D Raghunandan of the Centre for Technology & Development.
“After a day long interrogation by Delhi special cell, I am back home. Each and every question posed will be answered. Nothing to fear . And I will keep questioning people in power and particularly those who are afraid of simple questions . Not backing down at any cost,” Abhisar Sharma posted on X.
Addressing a gathering in Bhubaneswar, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said probe agencies in the country are independent and work in accordance with law.
“… If someone has done something wrong, probe agencies work on it… Nowhere it is written that if you have got money in an illegal manner or done something objectionable, then probe agencies cannot investigate that,” Thakur said.
The police move comes just days after a New York Times investigation revealed that NewsClick received funds from a new work spreading Chinese propaganda. The media firm is under the scanner of the Economic Offences Wing (EoW) of the Delhi Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) amid allegations it received funds from China.
Police seized laptops and mobile phones belonging to several journalists, and that the majority of the people were questioned about their involvement with NewsClick as well as details about their calls to people living in foreign countries, PTI quoted sources as saying.
In 2021, the Economic Offenses Wing of Delhi Police had started an investigation against NewsClick over suspicious foreign funding. The EoW had also registered an FIR in this case.
The ED in 2022 had attached a South Delhi flat, worth Rs 4.52 crore, linked to Purkayastha apart from fixed deposits worth Rs 41 lakh as part of this money laundering probe.
Meanwhile, the National Alliance of Journalists, Delhi Union of Journalists, and Kerala Union of Working Journalists (Delhi unit) issued a statement claiming that the homes of Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Teesta Setalvad, Mahesh Kumar, Subodh Varma, Aditi Nigam, Mukund Jha, and others were raided this morning.
The opposing political parties in India have vehemently criticized law enforcement’s actions, laying accusations at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating a “witch-hunt” against journalists who openly critique the government. A strong reaction was seen in opposition groups throughout the country, deeming these actions as an attack on journalistic freedom. These entities collectively asserted that the BJP government’s “coercive” measures are discriminately targeted against those daring to expose the truth to the public while conveniently ignoring those disseminating bigotry and discord among the populace.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, however, said,”The Congress preaching about the press is like Satan preaching about scriptures.” Congress leader Pawan Khera said the early morning raids on contributing journalists at NewsClick come as a “fresh distraction from the explosive findings of caste census in Bihar and the growing demand for caste census across the country.” “When he faces questions from out of syllabus, he resorts to the only counter he has in his predictable syllabus – DISTRACTION,” Khera said on X.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the searches represent a sign of a “losing BJP.” “This is not a new thing, BJP rulers have always raided honest journalists. But how many crores of rupees are being given to ‘Mitra channels’ every month in the name of government ‘prachar-prasar’ (advertisements), anyone should also print this,” Yadav said in a post on X.
AAP chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar alleged the Modi government is pretending to fight China by arresting journalists because it didn’t have the courage to engage with it directly.
The Press Club of India said it is deeply concerned about raids on the houses of journalists and writers associated with NewsClick.
“We are monitoring the developments and will be releasing a detailed statement. The PCI stands in solidarity with the journalists and demands the government to come out with details,” it said.
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