Delhi HC grants bail to NewsClick founder in ED, EOW foreign funding case

The Delhi HC granted anticipatory bail to NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and director Pranjal Pandey in ED and EOW cases over alleged FDI rule violations and foreign funding

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to NewsClick Editor-in-Chief and founder Prabir Purkayastha in two cases — one filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged money laundering, and the other by Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) related to foreign funding, Live Law reported. 

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna delivered the order, closing the bail pleas filed by Purkayastha in 2021. 

Along with Purkayastha, the court also granted anticipatory bail to NewsClick Director Pranjal Pandey in the EOW FIR linked to the same allegations. 

In June 2021, Purkayastha was given interim protection from arrest in these matters. The court had extended that protection multiple times since then.

 

Funds from China were used illegally

In May last year, the Delhi Police informed a local court that Purkayastha had allegedly channelled funds from China into India to incite the 2020 Delhi riots, run a misinformation campaign during the Covid-19 pandemic, support the farmers’ protest, and finance terrorism-related activities in Kashmir, news agency PTI had reported. 

These claims were made in a charge sheet submitted before Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur. 

According to the charge sheet, Purkayastha allegedly provided salaries to several individuals associated with activist Teesta Setalvad. It also mentioned that the role of activist Gautam Navlakha is currently under investigation in connection with the same matter. 

The final report further stated that Navlakha was a shareholder in NewsClick, and protected witnesses have testified that he acted as a conduit for funding and supplying arms and ammunition to a banned Naxalite organisation.

 

ED raided NewsClick offices in 2021

The Enforcement Directorate had searched the offices of NewsClick and the homes of its editors in February 2021. The raids were part of its investigation into a money laundering case, where it also carried out search and seizure actions. 

Investigating agencies have accused PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt. Ltd of allegedly violating foreign direct investment (FDI) rules. The company is suspected of receiving FDI by inflating its share value, which helped it bypass the cap set under FDI regulations.

 

ED launched probe after EOW FIR

After taking note of the FIR filed by the Economic Offences Wing, the Enforcement Directorate started its own investigation. It followed this up with search operations in relation to the case.