By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has accused NewsClick founder and editor Prabir Purkayastha and others of being involved in anti-India propaganda using Chinese funds. NewsClick responded to the charges by calling them “untenable and bogus.”
The FIR, registered on August 17 under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, says that since April 2018, funds in crores of rupees were received by NewsClick through illegal means during a span of five years from Neville Roy Singham, a resident of Shanghai in China, who is an active member of the propaganda department of the Communist Party of China.
READ MORE | NewsClick: Delhi HC seeks police response on ‘missing grounds for arrest’ in remand application
The police said Purkayastha and others used the funds for activities that were against the country’s sovereignty. NewsClick has said in a statement that it “has not received any funding or instructions from China or Chinese entities. Further, NewsClick has never committed or sought to encourage violence, secession or any illegal act in any manner whatsoever.
A perusal of NewsClick’s coverage, which is freely available online, should be sufficient to indicate the veracity of NewsClick’s claims. The completely absurd nature of allegations in the FIR clearly shows that the proceedings initiated against NewsClick are nothing but a blatant attempt to muzzle the free and independent press in India.”
The NewsClick has moved the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the First Information Report as well as release of Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakraborty. The court has issued notice in the petitions and listed them for hearing on Monday.
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has accused NewsClick founder and editor Prabir Purkayastha and others of being involved in anti-India propaganda using Chinese funds. NewsClick responded to the charges by calling them “untenable and bogus.”
The FIR, registered on August 17 under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, says that since April 2018, funds in crores of rupees were received by NewsClick through illegal means during a span of five years from Neville Roy Singham, a resident of Shanghai in China, who is an active member of the propaganda department of the Communist Party of China.
READ MORE | NewsClick: Delhi HC seeks police response on ‘missing grounds for arrest’ in remand applicationgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
The police said Purkayastha and others used the funds for activities that were against the country’s sovereignty. NewsClick has said in a statement that it “has not received any funding or instructions from China or Chinese entities. Further, NewsClick has never committed or sought to encourage violence, secession or any illegal act in any manner whatsoever.
A perusal of NewsClick’s coverage, which is freely available online, should be sufficient to indicate the veracity of NewsClick’s claims. The completely absurd nature of allegations in the FIR clearly shows that the proceedings initiated against NewsClick are nothing but a blatant attempt to muzzle the free and independent press in India.”
The NewsClick has moved the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the First Information Report as well as release of Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakraborty. The court has issued notice in the petitions and listed them for hearing on Monday.
