Newsclick arrest: HC seeks response from Delhi Police on Prabir Purkayastha’s plea
Delhi High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Delhi Police on a plea filed by Newsclick founder Prabir Purkayastha challenging the First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the Delhi Police against him under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Justice Swarnakanta Sharma issued notice despite opposition Delhi Police,
The petition states that the impugned FIR is the second FIR based on the same allegations and the same alleged conspiracy which was investigated in the first FIR lodged by the EOW, which is already pending against the petitioner, reports newswire ANI. .
A bench of Justice Swarn Kanta Sharma, after considering the arguments, issued notice to the respondents and listed the matter for July 10, 2024.
Advocate Arshdeep Singh Khurana appeared for the petitioner and submitted that the allegations in the impugned FIR are solely focused on journalistic work done by the said company, which may include criticism of the functioning of the present government with respect to its functioning, policies etc. Is. Advocate Zoheb Hussain appeared on behalf of the police and said that he was also opposing the issuance of the notice.
Recently, the Delhi trial court has extended the judicial custody of the news portal’s founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and the news portal’s HR head Amit Chakraborty in a case registered by Delhi Police under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. , 1967, following allegations that the news portal NewsClick received large sums of money for pro-China propaganda.
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In this case, the trial court has recently allowed Amit Chakraborty to become a government witness in the case.
The court had earlier rejected the application of NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha seeking directions to release his electronic devices seized by Delhi Police.
In October last year, Delhi Police had arrested Purkayastha and Newsclick HR head Amit Chakraborty under the provisions of UAPA.
The Special Cell of Delhi Police, in its FIR against Purkayastha, said that the People’s Dispatch Portal, which is owned and maintained by PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt Ltd. Ltd. has been used as part of a conspiracy to deliberately spread falsehoods through paid news in exchange of crores of foreign funds sent illegally.
The FIR further states that crores of rupees were illegally smuggled into India by Indian and foreign entities hostile to India as part of a conspiracy to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, create disaffection against India and endanger the unity, integrity and Foreign funds have been invested. , and India’s security. (with inputs from agencies)