NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha arrested under UAPA

NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha was arrested by the Delhi police on Tuesday under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Along with Purkayastha, Amit Chakravarty, the HR head of the news portal, has also been arrested.

A statement by the Delhi Police, as reported by ANI, said, “Regarding the search, seizure and detentions carried out today in connection with a UAPA case registered with Special Cell, so far, two accused, Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakravarty have been arrested. A total of 37 male suspects have been questioned at premises, 9 female suspects have been questioned at their respective places of stay and digital devices, documents etc. have been seized/collected for examination.”

The Editor-in-Chief of NewsClick, Prabir Purkayastha and writers Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Urmilesh were brought to the special cell offices in the national capital on Tuesday as part of the investigation as Delhi Police launched a crackdown against NewsClick and its journalists earlier this morning in connection with an FIR registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The Delhi Police’s Special Cell on Tuesday afternoon sealed the office of the online news portal in the national capital.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Anurag Thakur, while speaking to reporters in Bhubaneswar said that if action has been taken, then there must have been evidence or complaint.

Flagging concerns over the incident, the Editors Guild of India, in a statement, said it was “deeply concerned” about the raids at the residences of senior journalists early this morning.

Earlier, on August 10, a report in the New York Times had alleged that NewsClick was part of a global network that receives funding from American billionaire Neville Roy Singham.

Singham is known as a socialist benefactor of far-left causes and is at the centre of a lavishly funded influence campaign that defends China and pushes its propaganda.

Singham is also said to have close ties with the Chinese government’s media machine.

With inputs from ANI