- Delhi Police carries out raids in 30 locations linked to NewsClick in money laundering case
- According to reports, the media organization allegedly received funding through Chinese companies.
- The officials said the police raids are still underway in some locations in Delhi-NCR. After some of his inputs on the illegal funding, the Special Cell teams conducted the raid.
- The police recovered the dump data from the laptops and mobile phones of some journalists of News Click. Special Cell has registered a fresh case and initiated a probe.
- Earlier in 2021, the Economic Offenses Wing of Delhi Police registered a case regarding illegal funding against NewsClick.
- NewsClick issued a statement saying the allegations made against it “by certain political actors and sections of the media are unfounded and without basis in fact or law”.
- The Press Club of India has expressed concerns over the raids.
The homes of several journalists associated with NewsClick were searched today in connection with a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case. According to sources, Delhi Police had registered the case under the anti-terror law on August 17, days after a New York Times investigation alleged that the news portal had received funding from a network pushing Chinese propaganda.
The searches today were conducted by officers from the Special Cell of Delhi Police at around two dozen locations in Delhi-NCR. No arrests have been made so far, but sources said some journalists have been taken to police stations for questioning.
Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate had registered a case against the news portal and investigated its funding. The central agency had also attached some assets linked to the news portal.
In August, a New York Times investigation alleged that NewsClick is among organizations that were funded by a network linked to US millionaire Neville Roy Singham that pushes Chinese propaganda.
The news portal and its sources of funding came under the scanner back in 2021 when the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police filed a case against it. The Enforcement Directorate case was based on this case. The Delhi High Court gave NewsClick promoters protection from arrest, and the matter is now in court.
The ED suspects the funds routed through Justice and Education Fund Inc USA belonged to Singham. The agency has alleged Singham is a “close confidant” of Purkayastha and a “Chinese emphasizer”. The ED has recorded the statement of a shareholder of NewsClick’s owner company. The shareholder claimed Singham was the “ultimate owner” of funds received from the Justice and Education Fund, USA, and GSPAN LLC, USA.
The agency claimed scrutiny of the “funding pattern” of PPK NEWSCLICK Studio Pvt Ltd shows it was created to “upload anti-national news at the instance of Singham as he made all the investment by way of FDI and transferring of export proceeds.”
It alleged Singham was influencing the content of news on the portal, and hence this was a case of “paid news.” The agency found funds were siphoned off for maintenance and renovation works of a flat in Saket allegedly linked to Purkayastha.
The news portal’s offices were also searched by Income Tax officers in 2021 in an alleged tax evasion case.
NewsClick’s editor Prabir Purakayastha had then hit out at the crackdown against the news portal. Following the New York Times report in August, Mr Purkayastha had told The Indian Express. “These are not new allegations. They have been made in the past. We will respond to them in the appropriate forum, i.e. the court, as the matter is sub judice.”
The Press Club of India has expressed concerns over the raids. “The Press Club of India is deeply concerned about the multiple raids conducted 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. #DefendMediaFreedom,” it added.
(With inputs from agencies)
