The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR into the alleged Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) violations by news portal NewsClick and carried out raids at two locations on Wednesday.
A team of CBI officials searched the residence and office of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, who was recently arrested by the Delhi Police in a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), officials said.
It is alleged that the portal received foreign funds in violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) case, they said.
In its probe against the portal, the Delhi Police had alleged that funds were fraudulently infused by an active member of the propaganda department of the Communist Party of China, Neville Roy Singham. The allegations have been denied by the portal.
A Delhi court yesterday sent NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and its human resources (HR) department head Amit Chakravarty to 10-day custody. Both have been arrested in the case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA over allegations that the news portal received money to spread pro-China propaganda.
The prosecution sought 10 days judicial custody for the duo, which was firmly opposed by Purkayastha’s counsel, who asserted ”prima facie” no case was made out against his client.
“What terrorist act have I committed? How can I as a journalist commit such an act? What is the allegation in the FIR? That we have done critical reporting of [government’s] Covid policy and farmers protest. Is that terrorism?” the lawyer said. The counsel said if there was even an iota of doubt about their guilt, sending them to judicial custody will be a ”travesty of justice”.
The counsel for Chakravarty argued he was not a journalist nor had he received any payment. ”There is no such allegation that there is a map of India, published by NewsClick, that shows India without Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh,” he said.
(with PTI inputs)
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