Express News Service
NEW DELHI: 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 the allegations against him were “false” and “bogus”, and “not a penny has come from China”.
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela reserved the order on pleas by Purkayastha and the news portal’s human resources department head Amit Chakravarty challenging their arrest and the subsequent 7-day police remand after the investigation agency defended its action claiming NewsClick received Rs 75 crore from a person in China to ensure the country’s stability and integrity were compromised.
The court said any further remand of the accused would be subject to its order on the petitions by the two senior executives of the news portal.
As the arguments resumed on Monday, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Purkayastha informed the high court that Delhi police has till now not provided him with the grounds for arrest.
“All these things mentioned are false. Not a penny has come from China. But today we are on the issue of whether grounds of arrest were furnished or not,” he said.
In the previous hearing, Sibal had pointed out that both the accused persons are entitled to counsel as per High Court rules.
The Senior counsel submitted that there is an ‘overwriting’ that can be seen if scrutinizing the remand application and the order of the judge, arguing that it has been “inserted” later.
Challenging the trial court order which allowed a 7-day remand of Prurkayastha and Chakraborty to Delhi Police, Sibal submitted the order stating that legal aid counsel was present, saying, however, he was not informed of it.
Chakraborty’s counsel submitted that his client is suffering from 59% disability as both of his legs are paralyzed because of polio. However, there is no mention of his disability in the remand application, he said.
On the other hand, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi Police, submitted that the allegations involving receiving about 75 crores and the stability and integrity of the country were compromised, saying it’s detailed in the case dairy.
In the previous hearing on Friday, the court had noted the ‘missing’ of “grounds of arrest” in the remand order, pointing out that the counsel of the petitioners was also not heard.
The arrest of NewsClick founder Purkayastha and HR chief Chakraborty on October 3 comes after the Delhi Police searched 30 locations connected with the online news portal and its journalists in a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations that it received money for pro-China propaganda.
(With inputs from PTI)
NEW DELHI: 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 the allegations against him were “false” and “bogus”, and “not a penny has come from China”.
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela reserved the order on pleas by Purkayastha and the news portal’s human resources department head Amit Chakravarty challenging their arrest and the subsequent 7-day police remand after the investigation agency defended its action claiming NewsClick received Rs 75 crore from a person in China to ensure the country’s stability and integrity were compromised.
The court said any further remand of the accused would be subject to its order on the petitions by the two senior executives of the news portal.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
As the arguments resumed on Monday, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Purkayastha informed the high court that Delhi police has till now not provided him with the grounds for arrest.
“All these things mentioned are false. Not a penny has come from China. But today we are on the issue of whether grounds of arrest were furnished or not,” he said.
In the previous hearing, Sibal had pointed out that both the accused persons are entitled to counsel as per High Court rules.
The Senior counsel submitted that there is an ‘overwriting’ that can be seen if scrutinizing the remand application and the order of the judge, arguing that it has been “inserted” later.
Challenging the trial court order which allowed a 7-day remand of Prurkayastha and Chakraborty to Delhi Police, Sibal submitted the order stating that legal aid counsel was present, saying, however, he was not informed of it.
Chakraborty’s counsel submitted that his client is suffering from 59% disability as both of his legs are paralyzed because of polio. However, there is no mention of his disability in the remand application, he said.
On the other hand, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi Police, submitted that the allegations involving receiving about 75 crores and the stability and integrity of the country were compromised, saying it’s detailed in the case dairy.
In the previous hearing on Friday, the court had noted the ‘missing’ of “grounds of arrest” in the remand order, pointing out that the counsel of the petitioners was also not heard.
The arrest of NewsClick founder Purkayastha and HR chief Chakraborty on October 3 comes after the Delhi Police searched 30 locations connected with the online news portal and its journalists in a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations that it received money for pro-China propaganda.
(With inputs from PTI)
