By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed the pleas moved by NewsClick editor Prabir Purkayastha and the news portal’s Human Resources (HR) head Amit Chakraborty challenging their arrest, remand, and an FIR slapped against anti-terror law UAPA allegedly connected to a Chinese funding case.Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said, “considering the lack of facts and material particulars” in the plea, the court was of the opinion that Purkayastha is “not entitled to any relief.”In his plea, Chakraborty had contended that he is a differently-abled person suffering from physical disability to the extent of 59% and being covered under the provisions of The Rights Of Persons With Disabilities Act, 2016.The high court, however, said it is of the view that “the fact that serious offences affecting the stability, integrity, sovereignty and national security have been alleged against the petitioner, this Court is not inclined to pass any favorable orders.”The arrest of both Purkayastha and Chakraborty on October 3 was after the Delhi Police searched 30 locations connected with the online news portal and its journalists in a case filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) following allegations that it received money for pro-China propaganda.On the challenge to the remand as it was passed at 6:00 A.M, the court pointed out that the Special Judge records that the counsel had appeared for the “accused persons” and “even the remand application was also furnished to the counsel who was representing them.In the 51-page order, the high court asserted that there are no details “to be believed” in the petitioner’s contention about the “zero representation” on his behalf, at the time of arrest or remand proceedings.The order further said, “the petition is completely silent as to what steps were taken by him or any of his family members to assail or raise objections against the arrest, or the order of remand till the present petition (before HC) was filed.”The petitioners neither mentioned “illegal arrest” on the application seeking a copy of the FIR nor argued against it, the court noted. “This creates a doubt in the mind of this Court as to whether the version of the petitioner is true at all,” it was noted. The petitoners had reiterated that the things mentioned in the FIR are false, saying “not a penny has come from China.”Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi Police, submitted that the email exchanges between the petitioner and other entities indicate a deliberate attempt to show the State of Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as “disputed territories”.”So much so that the words used for Arunachal Pradesh in particular are “Northern Border of India” which according to learned SG is generally used as a Chinese propaganda,” the order read.SG also submitted that the emails allegedly also contained a physical map of India to show certain portions as “disputed territories”. Follow channel on WhatsApp
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed the pleas moved by NewsClick editor Prabir Purkayastha and the news portal’s Human Resources (HR) head Amit Chakraborty challenging their arrest, remand, and an FIR slapped against anti-terror law UAPA allegedly connected to a Chinese funding case.
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said, “considering the lack of facts and material particulars” in the plea, the court was of the opinion that Purkayastha is “not entitled to any relief.”
In his plea, Chakraborty had contended that he is a differently-abled person suffering from physical disability to the extent of 59% and being covered under the provisions of The Rights Of Persons With Disabilities Act, 2016.
The high court, however, said it is of the view that “the fact that serious offences affecting the stability, integrity, sovereignty and national security have been alleged against the petitioner, this Court is not inclined to pass any favorable orders.”
The arrest of both Purkayastha and Chakraborty on October 3 was after the Delhi Police searched 30 locations connected with the online news portal and its journalists in a case filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) following allegations that it received money for pro-China propaganda.
On the challenge to the remand as it was passed at 6:00 A.M, the court pointed out that the Special Judge records that the counsel had appeared for the “accused persons” and “even the remand application was also furnished to the counsel who was representing them.
In the 51-page order, the high court asserted that there are no details “to be believed” in the petitioner’s contention about the “zero representation” on his behalf, at the time of arrest or remand proceedings.
The order further said, “the petition is completely silent as to what steps were taken by him or any of his family members to assail or raise objections against the arrest, or the order of remand till the present petition (before HC) was filed.”
The petitioners neither mentioned “illegal arrest” on the application seeking a copy of the FIR nor argued against it, the court noted. “This creates a doubt in the mind of this Court as to whether the version of the petitioner is true at all,” it was noted.
The petitoners had reiterated that the things mentioned in the FIR are false, saying “not a penny has come from China.”
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi Police, submitted that the email exchanges between the petitioner and other entities indicate a deliberate attempt to show the State of Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as “disputed territories”.
“So much so that the words used for Arunachal Pradesh in particular are “Northern Border of India” which according to learned SG is generally used as a Chinese propaganda,” the order read.
SG also submitted that the emails allegedly also contained a physical map of India to show certain portions as “disputed territories”. Follow channel on WhatsApp
