The Delhi High Court has quashed cases registered by the Delhi Police and the Enforcement Directorate against news portal NewsClick and its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha, citing that the continuation of the FIR was 'a gross abuse of the process of law' and the investment was an economic decision that 'did not spell out any criminal offence'.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to appeal the Delhi High Court's decision to quash a money laundering case against news portal NewsClick and its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha, arguing that the High Court 'overlooked or left unaddressed' critical contentions regarding alleged FDI rule violations and false representations to authorities.
Tripura Police have initiated a forensic analysis of all electronic gadgets belonging to DGP Anurag Dhankar, who was found dead in his office washroom. A case of unnatural death has been registered, and the investigation aims to determine the cause and circumstances, especially if suicide is confirmed. Calls for a judicial probe into the incident are also growing.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has imposed a Rs 184-crore penalty on NewsClick and its founder, Prabir Purkayastha, for alleged FEMA violations related to foreign funding and misrepresentation of business activities.
'He is the same man who has won honours for the country across the world.'
The Delhi police on Tuesday arrested two persons including NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha in connection with a probe in the portal's foreign funding, officials said.
India pacer Akash Deep received a special award for his impressive performance in the recent Test series in England during annual Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) awards in Kolkata on Saturday.
The court said there is nothing on record to suggest that since 2023, Purkayastha was ever called to join the investigations.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) paid tribute to the victims of the terror attack in Pahalgam before the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings at the Eden Gardens.
Prabir Mukherjee, a former chief curator of the Cricket Association of Bengal, passed away at a Kolkata hospital late Tuesday night after a prolonged illness.
Chakravarty also claimed he was in possession of "material information" about the case which he was willing to disclose to the Delhi police.
NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty, arrested in a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations the portal received money for pro-China propaganda, were sent to seven days of police remand, officials said on Wednesday.
The CBI registered an FIR against NewsClick and its founder Prabir Purkayastha for alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act and carried out searches at the office and residence of the portal's founder on Wednesday, officials said.
The Delhi police special cell has questioned about 25 journalists and contributors of NewsClick for a second time in connection with a UAPA case registered against the online news portal for allegedly peddling "anti-national" agenda in the country, sources said on Monday.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta asked the AIIMS director to constitute the board and submit a report to it in two weeks.
Special judge Hardeep Kaur sent both the accused to jail after they were produced before the court on expiry of their custodial interrogation by the Delhi police.
Please get up and walk for five minutes every 1 to 2 hours, advises rediffGURU Nidhi Gupta.
The Delhi Police, in a first information report (FIR) filed under anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) following allegations against news portal NewsClick, has alleged that a large amount of funds came from China in order to disrupt India's sovereignty and cause disaffection against the country.
They were called to the special cell office in the afternoon and questioned till late evening, a Delhi police source said.
'Newsclick was involved in anti-India activities wearing a mask of journalism. And that too taking financial support from China which has been against India. Action is being taken against them'
The Supreme Court on Wednesday declared as 'invalid' the arrest of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha in a case under the anti-terror law, and directed that he be released from custody.
He said the Constitution provides for the right to silence, which means an individual can refuse to answer questions from the police in case of arrest or detention.
A Delhi court on Tuesday sent to 10-day judicial custody NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and human resources department head Amit Chakravarty, arrested in a case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA over allegations that the news portal received money to spread pro-China propaganda.
Chakravarty moved the application before Special Judge Hardeep Kaur last week, seeking pardon in the case and claiming he had material information that he was willing to disclose to the Delhi Police, which is investigating the matter.
NewsClick said that none of these investigations led to any chargesheets or complaints over the last three years."
The summons were sent to Singham recently on his personal email ID and also through the Chinese diplomatic channels after the ED routed them through the ministry of external affairs, the officials said.
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Over 250 eminent citizens, including former judges and ambassadors, have written to the President and Chief Justice of India calling for strong action against online news portal NewsClick, which is alleged to have received dubious funds from American billionaire Neville Roy Singham to spread Chinese propaganda.
The entire operation was meant to have a chilling effect on independent journalists, those not completely subservient to the regime, the small section still doing what the Fourth Estate should do -- raising questions to those in power.
"We have seen reports about this outlet's ties to the People's Republic of China, but we can't comment yet on the veracity of those claims," State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at a news conference in Washington, DC on Tuesday.
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela also asked the police to file replies to their applications seeking interim release till the pendency of the petitions.
Apart from senior officials, the mobile handset of junior officials were kept at the station, to hide any leaked information.
As the Delhi police continue to raid different premises linked to NewsClick, a team reached at Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury's residence on Tuesday morning to question his staffer Sri Narayan's son Sunmit Kumar.
Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur was hearing the arguments regarding the applications. Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava cited a Supreme Court judgment and said the accused had to approach the police commissioner, who would then form a committee regarding the same.
NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, arrested in a case lodged under anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly receiving money to spread pro-China propaganda, told the Delhi high court on Monday that the allegations against him were "false" and "bogus", and "not a penny has come from China".
NewsClick on Wednesday alleged in the Delhi high court that investigating agencies were abusing the process of law to subject it to criminal prosecution to create a "chilling effect".
'This action sends out a very nasty message in a very strong way -- that nobody is exempt.' 'It is also an attempt to extend the definition of who is an anti-national, who's a terrorist, a definition that's becoming looser under this regime.' 'The sad part is that by the time the courts acquit those arrested, they would've spent years in jail and been taught a lesson.'
It was also learnt that Gautam Navlakha, a shareholder in NewsClick, remained involved in anti-Indian and unlawful activities such as actively supporting banned Naxal organisations and having anti-national nexus with Gulam Nabi Fai, an agent of Pakistan's ISI, it stated.
The HC had on July 29, 2021 extended the interim protection to the portal, represented through its holding company PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt. Ltd., and Purkayastha, uptill the next date of hearing.
The daughter of a traffic police head constable in Meerut, Kiran Baliyan was an accidental shot putter as her name was entered in a junior tournament by mistake nine years ago.
