Online news portal NewsClick on Wednesday (October 4) raised concerns over the lack of transparency and due process in recent raids conducted by the Delhi Police at its premises. In a statement issued on Wednesday, NewsClick stated that it had not been provided with a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) or informed about the specific charges filed against individuals associated with the organisation.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of NewsClick, Prabir Purkayastha, through his legal team, has taken the step of moving Delhi's Patiala House Court to request access to the FIR. The application is scheduled to be heard by Additional Sessions Judge Dr Hardeep Kaur shortly, as reported by news agency ANI.
Earlier in the day, several organisations protested against Delhi Police actions on NewsClick at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, and news agency PTI posted a video of the protest on X (formerly Twitter).
The Special Cell of the Delhi Police conducted raids on various locations, including NewsClick's offices and the homes of its journalists and employees. The statement from NewsClick expressed concern about the seizure of electronic devices without providing seizure memos, hash values of seized data, or copies of the data itself. Furthermore, the statement revealed that NewsClick's office had been sealed, making it impossible for the company to continue reporting.
In response to these actions, NewsClick strongly condemned what it saw as a disregard for journalistic independence and an attempt to silence criticism under the guise of sedition or 'anti-national' propaganda.
According to the online news portal, it has been under the scrutiny of various central government agencies since 2021, with raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate, the Delhi Police Economic Offences Wing, and the Income Tax Department. According to NewsClick, these actions have not resulted in formal complaints or charges being filed against the organisation.
NewsClick claimed that it had been charged with violating the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for allegedly spreading "Chinese propaganda" on its website. Despite extensive scrutiny of bank statements, invoices, expenses, and funding sources, no formal charges were filed against the organisation, according to the statement.
The online news platform maintains that it is an independent news website that produces content that meets high journalistic standards. It denied spreading Chinese propaganda and stated that its funding sources are legal and have been reported to authorities.
NewsClick asserted that the Delhi Police's line of questioning during the raids demonstrated a "motivated and malicious intent" behind the proceedings. According to reports, the line of questioning covered topics such as coverage of the Delhi riots and farmer protests.
Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty have been remanded in police custody for seven days after being arrested under the anti-terror law UAPA on suspicion of receiving money for pro-China propaganda, officials confirmed on Wednesday, PTI reported.
The Delhi Police searched more than 30 locations linked to NewsClick on Tuesday, interrogating several journalists and seizing digital devices and documents for further examination.