Delhi HC seeks police stand on plea by NewsClick founder against FIR
According to the FIR, a large amount of funds to the portal came from China to “disrupt the sovereignty of India” and cause disaffection against the country.
The Delhi High Court Friday sought the stand of the city police on a plea by NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha challenging the FIR against him under anti-terror law UAPA over allegations of spreading pro-China propaganda.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice on the petition that was filed in 2023 after the journalist’s arrest in October. The counsel for the Delhi Police opposed issuance of notice on the petition and informed the court that the news portal’s human resources department chief Amit Chakravarty has turned an approver the case.
The Special Cell of Delhi Police had arrested Purkayastha and Chakravarty on October 3 last year and both of them are currently in judicial custody. According to the FIR, a large amount of funds to the portal came from China to “disrupt the sovereignty of India” and cause disaffection against the country.
It also alleged Purkayastha conspired with a group — People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) — to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In his petition, Purkayastha has said the UAPA FIR is the second such based on the “same allegations and same alleged conspiracy” being probed in an already pending FIR lodged by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which is not permissible.
It said no offence under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) or IPC are made out against the petitioner and the FIR is malafide. “The FIR are centered around purely journalistic work carried out by the said Company which may involve criticism of the functioning of the incumbent Government regarding its functioning, policies etc. Impartial and fair journalism and criticism of the Government cannot be equated with questioning the sovereignty or integrity of India,” the petition said.
