Delhi Court allows NewsClick HR head Amit Chakravarty to turn approver

Chakravarty has also been granted a pardon in the case after agreeing to turn over material information to the police

Delhi's Patiala House Court has allowed Amit Chakravarty, the head of human resources (HR) at NewsClick, to turn approver in the ongoing case of the news portal. The court has also granted him pardon in the case, according to news agency ANI.

Chakravarty had approached the Delhi court in the last week of December seeking to turn approver in the ongoing case. NewsClick had been accused of receiving foreign funds from Chinese agents in order to spread "anti-India propaganda".

In the application, Chakravarty claimed to have material information and was willing to disclose it to the Delhi police. In return, the head of HR sought a pardon in the case. The case had been registered against Chakravarty and the news portal's founder, Prabir Purkayastha.

The Delhi Police has also recently filed a First Information Report (FIR) under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, against NewsClick on the allegation that the news portal received funds to support "pro-Chinese propaganda".

The investigation against the news agency was reportedly triggered after a New York Times report claimed that NEwsClick had received Rs 38 crore from a US-based millionaire Neville Roy Singham, who allegedly had close ties with the propaganda arm of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Purkayastha and Chakravarty had first been arrested in October after several raids were conducted at the NewClick offices and journalists' residences. They were initially charged with terrorism under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). A case was also filed under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).