Newsclick row: Delhi HC agrees to hear plea against arrest of founder, HRD

The Delhi High Court on Friday agreed to hear during the day a plea against the arrest of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and human resources department head Amit Chakravarty in a case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA.

The matter was mentioned for urgent hearing by senior advocate Kapil Sibal before a bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma.

This is the Newsclick matter. Arrest has been made illegally and in violation of the Supreme Court decisions, the senior lawyer said as he urged the bench to list the matter for hearing today itself.

Alright, responded the bench, also comprising Justice Sanjeev Narula.

Purkayastha and Chakravarty were arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on Tuesday. Police have sealed the NewsClick's office in Delhi. The portal has been accused of receiving money to spread pro-China propaganda.

On Thursday, a trial court here had directed the city police to provide the duo with a copy of the FIR, citing a 2016 order of the Supreme Court and a 2010 order of the Delhi High Court.