New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has dismissed pleas filed by NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and portal's Human Resources department head Amit Chakraborty challenging their arrest and 7-day police remand in a case lodged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
A Bench of Justice Tushar Rao Gedela on Friday while dismissing their plea said that the court “does not find merit in both petitions”.
Purkayastha and Chakravarty, who were arrested by Delhi police’s Special Cell on October 3, moved the high court challenging the police action, and sought immediate release as an interim relief.
On October 10, the trial court sent them to judicial custody for ten days.
A case has been lodged against the two under the anti-terror law UAPA for allegedly receiving money to spread pro-China propaganda.
According to the FIR, a large amount of funds to the news portal allegedly came from China to 'disrupt the sovereignty of India' and cause disaffection against the country.
It also alleged that Purkayastha conspired with a group -- People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) -- to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Meanwhile, the portal said that the case is "nothing but a blatant attempt to muzzle the free and independent press in India".
With inputs from PTI