NewsClick case: Delhi court extends judicial custody of Prabir Purkayastha, Amit Chakravarty

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday extended the judicial custody of NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and HR department head Amit Chakravarty in a case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA over allegations that the news portal received money to spread pro-China propaganda.

While Purkayastha is an accused in the case, former co-accused Chakravarty recently turned approver in the matter.

Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur on Monday extended their judicial custody till February 17, 2024.

The judge had earlier this month allowed Chakravarty to turn an approver in the case.

In his application seeking pardon in the matter, Chakravarty claimed he was in possession of “material information” about the case which he was willing to disclose to the Delhi Police.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police had arrested Purkayastha and Chakravarty on October 3 last year.

According to the FIR, a large amount of funds to the news 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.

Raids were conducted at 88 locations in Delhi and seven in other states on October 3 on the suspects named in the FIR and those that surfaced in the analysis of data, police said.

Around 300 electronic gadgets were also seized from the offices of NewsClick and the residences of the journalists who were examined. Following the raids, 46 individuals, including nine female journalists, were questioned by the Special Cell. (PT