NewsClick row: Court sends Purkayastha, Chakravarty to judicial custody

The Patiala House Court of Delhi on Thursday sent Newsclick's Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Prabir Purkayastha, and HR head, Amit Chakravarty, to judicial custody for 30 days.

They were arrested last month by Delhi Police in a case filed under the anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) following allegations that news portal NewsClick received huge money for pro-China propaganda.

The Additional Sessions Judge Dr Hardeep Kaur allowed the Delhi Police application and sent Prabir and Amit Chakravarty to Judicial custody till December 1, 2023.

Prabir and Amit Chakravarty were on Thursday produced after the end of their police custody period. They were earlier sent to 9 days of police custody by the same court.

On the last date of the hearing, Delhi Police said that their custodial interrogation was required to confront them with some protected witnesses and also some devices were examined and the data extracted.

Prabir's Lawyer Arshdeep Singh Khurana while opposing Delhi Police's plea for custodial remand stated, "They have to show what have they unearthed, and what have they found! They should at least tell the court."

"You have to unearth conspiracy, what were you doing for 25 days!! FIR is from August," Arshdeep Singh Khurana said.

"The fact they didn't question them even one day during Judicial Custody shows the conduct of the agency! They say they have to Interrogate in light of the witness. That can also happen in Judicial Custody," he added.

Earlier, 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. 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, I commit a terrorist act? If I through the article raised questions over Central Govt COVID policy, is this an act of terrorism?" Prabir Purkayastha's lawyer argued.

The lawyer further submitted that my client is a journalist with repute and he is a renowned person for his 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," he added.

Advocate Rohit Sharma appeared for NewsClick's HR Head Amit Chakravarty said "I am not a journalist and Editor. I didn't write any article. I am a poor person having responsibility of 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 & 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 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 sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, to cause disaffection against India and to threaten the unity, integrity, security of India," the FIR stated.