New Delhi: The Supreme Court instructed the instant release of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, by which the arrest of him under the UAPA was deemed invalid. Justice BR Gavi and Sandeep Mehta declared the arrest and the following remand as illegal because Purkayastha and his counsel were not given the remand application and the grounds of arrest before the trial court’s decision on the custody application.
Nevertheless, the Delhi Police has already filed a charge sheet to which the Supreme court replied that Purkayastha should be released on bail, but it would depend on the conditions determined by the trial court.
The Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrested Purkayastha and Amit Chakravarty, the HR head, on October 3, 2023, on the charge of accepting money from China to undermine India’s sovereignty and the internal discord against the nation. The FIR points out the fact that China is the main source of funding to keep NewsClick alive.
The police were blaming Purkayastha for planning with the People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism to disturb the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Raids were on 88 locations in Delhi and seven other states of the country, and about 300 electronic gadgets were taken from the NewsClick offices and the journalists’ residences.
According to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, an independent authority gives a prosecution recommendation based on the investigating agency report, and the competent authority decides the granting of the sanction.
The arrests were a result of an investigation by The New York Times through which it alleged NewsClick in a worldwide network funded for promoting Chinese propaganda. Neville Roy Singham, the Businessman, is said to have financed NewsClick, which is one of the global outlets that is used to spread Chinese government narratives.
Amit Chakravorty, after being admitted as an approver in the case, is listed as a witness in the charge sheet. On May 6, the Delhi High Court decided his release.
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