Fresh UAPA Case Lodged, Delhi Police Raids On NewsClick And Associates Amid Fresh Allegations Of Foreign Funding From China
Why are prominent journalists and media entities in India, including NewsClick, currently under intense scrutiny and facing raids by the Delhi Police? What is the significance of the newly filed case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), alongside the ongoing investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED)? How deep do the allegations of foreign funding from China run, and what implications do they carry for the individuals and organizations involved? This sensational development and ongoing investigation, the questions surrounding the raids, foreign funding, and the potential impact on media freedom in India beg for many answers.
On October 3rd, the Delhi Police initiated extensive searches at approximately 30 locations in connection with allegations of foreign funding from China.
Among the individuals reportedly detained are prominent figures like Abhisar Sharma, Urmilesh, and former NDTV Managing Editor Aunindyo Chakraborty; notably, there are unverified reports of eight journalists being raided alongside official NewsClick premises, with plans for their subsequent questioning at the Delhi Police special cell office.
Comedian Sanjay Rajaura was also taken into custody and brought to the Delhi Police special cell office at Lodhi Colony.
The ongoing raids target multiple journalists linked to NewsClick; earlier, Abhisar Sharma confirmed that the police had searched his residence, seizing his laptop and phone.
In addition to the existing Enforcement Directorate (ED) case, the Delhi Police has registered a fresh case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), which pertains to charges related to terrorist activities and terror funding.
The involvement of UAPA sections could significantly complicate the situation for NewsClick and the individuals implicated; a forensic team from the Delhi Police is on the ground, collecting evidence in accordance with reports.
Some of the evidence uncovered during the ED investigation necessitated a separate case under UAPA, as the ED’s jurisdiction did not extend to the premises in question; as a result, the Delhi Police launched their investigation.
It is noteworthy that NewsClick has been under scrutiny for illicit foreign funding since 2021, even during Abhisar Sharma’s tenure with the platform; moreover, Teesta Setalvad and Gautam Navlakha have faced allegations of receiving funds from China through NewsClick and reports indicate that Delhi Police are conducting raids at Teesta Setalvad’s property in Mumbai as well.
On August 22nd, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to NewsClick’s Editor in Chief Prabir Purkayastha, responding to a plea from the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EoW); the plea sought direction to vacate an interim order that prohibited the probe agency from taking coercive actions against the news portal.
The Enforcement Directorate’s investigation revealed that NewsClick had received deceitfully injected overseas funds totalling Rs. 38.05 crores over a three-year period. These funds were purportedly distributed to various controversial journalists, including Gautam Navlakha and individuals associated with Teesta Setalvad.
Under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED conducted extensive searches at PPK Newsclick Studio, its affiliated entities, directors, and shareholders in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) in February 2021; foreign currency, evidence of wrongdoing, and digital proof were seized during the searches.
A detailed examination of the gathered evidence revealed suspicious transactions involving foreign inward remittances; approximately Rs. 9.59 crore was introduced through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), while an additional Rs. 28.46 crore was purportedly generated through the export of services.
The ED investigation uncovered that Prabir Purkayastha, the Director of Newsclick, had a connection with Neville Roy Singham of Worldwide Media Holdings LLC, dating back to 2017.
Based on the digital evidence seized, it was alleged that Prabir Purkayastha and Neville Roy Singham, who reportedly has ties to the Communist Party of China (CPC), devised a complex scheme.
Allegations suggest that they orchestrated the receipt of Rs. 9.59 crores from a Chinese entity under the guise of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Furthermore, it is claimed that Neville Roy Singham had transferred funds to Prabir under the pretext of consultancy fees to promote a “leftist ideology.”
Neither Prabir Purkayastha nor the personnel at Newsclick Studio have provided a satisfactory explanation for the receipt of Rs. 28.46 crore from foreign sources, according to reports.
The investigations have revealed an intricate network of activist organizations, non-profits, and shell corporations with close ties to China and Chinese propaganda.
Neville Roy Singham, a central figure in this network, has been implicated in spreading communist administration talking points in various nations, including India, Brazil, South Africa, and the United States, under the guise of progressive advocacy; the involvement includes financial support to NewsClick, which incorporated Chinese government talking points into its coverage.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur commented regarding the raids, “I don’t need to justify it… If anyone has committed anything wrong, search agencies are free to carry out investigations against them under set guidelines.”
NewsClick Again
NewsClick is an Indian news and media organization known for its online presence and focus on alternative and progressive news reporting; it was founded in 2009 by Prabir Purkayastha and Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and is owned and operated by the company The People’s Media, which is registered in India.
NewsClick is known for its left-leaning and progressive editorial stance; it often covers social, political, economic, and environmental issues from a perspective that is critical of mainstream policies and practices.
NewsClick primarily operates as a digital news platform, publishing articles, videos, and opinion pieces on its website; it also maintains active social media profiles on platforms like Twitter and YouTube, where it shares its content.
Notably, NewsClick has been involved in controversies related to allegations of foreign funding, specifically from China; these allegations have led to investigations by Indian authorities, including the Enforcement Directorate, and have resulted in raids and legal actions.
The Last Bit, The recent developments involving raids on NewsClick and its associates, as well as the filing of a fresh case under UAPA, have raised significant concerns about the state of media freedom and the implications of foreign funding allegations in India.