NewsClick Row: Court sends Purkayastha, Chakravarty to 10-day custody

The Patiala House Court of Delhi on Tuesday sent NewsClick's Founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty to 10 days of judicial custody.

They were arrested last week by Delhi Police in a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations that News Portal NewsClick received huge money for pro-China propaganda.

The Additional Sessions Judge Dr Hardeep Kaur after hearing the arguments at length, allowed the Delhi Police plea seeking 10 days of Judicial custody of Purkayastha and Chakravarty in the matter.

Special Cell of Delhi Police on Tuesday produced Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakraborty in the trial after the end of their remand period.

Appearing for Delhi Police, Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava submitted that as of now they don't require their further police remand and requested the Court to send them in 10 days Judicial custody

While opposing the Delhi Police application, Advocate Arshdeep Singh appearing for Prabir Purkayastha apprised the trial court... that we have challenged in Delhi HC the arrest of both accused and also challenged the remand note granted earlier in the case. The Delhi HC had yesterday kept the order. He submitted that this is a case of multiple investigations and all issues have already been examined by the income tax department, ED, EoW etc.

The lawyer argued on behalf of Prabir Purkayastha that "I was questioned, and I answered all their queries. In the matter of EoW (Delhi Police) and ED, I was protected by the Delhi High Court in 2021, whose orders are continuing even today. I submitted that the allegations made in FIR are absolutely absurd. There is no allegation that I used bomb dynamite or any other explosive substance. There is no allegation that I used any criminal force or that I caused the death of any public functionary. How can by reporting, by acting or by having a profession as a journalist, can I commit a terrorist act? If I through the article raised questions over Central Govt COVID policy, is this an act of terrorism?"

The lawyer further submitted that "My client is a journalist of repute and he is a renowned person for independent voice. But they (the Agency) filed an FIR under stringent sections of UAPA. The agency's allegation is that I'm associated with Gautam Navlakha who is facing UAPA charges. And since he is facing UAPA charges, you also face UAPA charges. Mere association with someone has become a crime? He is a fellow journalist. I have known him since 1991. Now you are suddenly targeting me because of this association."

Advocate Rohit Sharma appeared for Amit Chakravarty HR Head, saying "I am not a journalist and Editor. I didn't write any article. I am a poor person and responsible for my family. I am a handicap man. Since 2021 I have been summoned by agencies on various occasions and a lot of my information about bank accounts, emails - everything has been seized. I've never been arrested. I'm not responsible in any way for the content that is published on the website and I perform administrative tasks... but I don't know if I have been suddenly arrested in the case."

The Delhi Police's Special Cell in its FIR against news web portal NewsClick's founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha stated that People's Dispatch Portal, owned and maintained by M/S PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt Ltd has been used for intentionally peddling false narratives through paid news in lieu of crores of Rupees of illegally routed foreign funds as part of the conspiracy.

Delhi Police FIR further stated that foreign funds in crores have been infused illegally in India by Indian and foreign entities inimical to India in pursuance of conspiracy with the intention to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, to cause disaffection against India and to threaten the unity, integrity, security of India.

Foreign funds in crores have been infused illegally in India by Indian and Foreign entities inimical to India in pursuance of conspiracy with the intention to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, to cause disaffection against India and to threaten the unity, integrity, and security of India, stated in FIR.