NewsClick founder denies receiving money from China, calls allegations "false"

New Delhi: Prabir Purkayastha, the founder of NewsClick, who was arrested under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on charges of receiving funds to promote pro-China propaganda, has refuted these allegations in the Delhi High Court.

Purkayastha declared the accusations against him as "false" and "bogus," emphatically stating that "not a penny has come from China."

The Delhi High Court, presided over by Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, heard the pleas of Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakravarty, the head of the news portal's human resources department. They were challenging their arrests and the subsequent 7-day police remand. The court has reserved its order on these pleas.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the investigation agency, argued that the case involves "serious offenses," with an ongoing investigation. He stated that approximately Rs 75 crore came from an individual residing in China, with the purpose of compromising the stability and integrity of India. Mehta also mentioned an alleged plan to create a map that does not show Arunachal Pradesh as part of India.

Prabir Purkayastha's lawyer, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, vehemently denied these claims, asserting that "all facts are false" and that "not a penny has come from China." Sibal and senior advocate Dayan Krishnan argued that the arrests and remand were unlawful on several legal grounds, including the failure to provide the grounds for arrest at the time of apprehension, as mandated by a recent Supreme Court decision.

The court stated that any further remand of the accused would be subject to its order on the pending petitions. Purkayastha and Chakravarty had moved the high court challenging their arrests and sought immediate release as interim relief.

The case is based on allegations that NewsClick received funds from China with the intent to disrupt India's sovereignty and cause disaffection against the country. The FIR also accused Purkayastha of conspiring with a group called People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

On October 3, a raid was conducted at 88 locations in Delhi and seven in other states related to the suspects named in the FIR and those identified through data analysis. 46 journalists and contributors to NewsClick were questioned, and their electronic devices were seized. The NewsClick office in Delhi was also sealed during the investigation.