NewsClick UAPA case: Court takes cognisance on Delhi police's chargesheet

The Patiala House Court in Delhi on Tuesday took cognisance of a chargesheet filed by the Special Cell of Delhi Police against News Portal Newsclick PPK and its founder and Editor-in-Chief, Prabir Purkayastha.

The case has been registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, following allegations that the News Portal received a large sum of money for promoting pro-China propaganda.

The Additional Sessions Judge, Dr Hardeep Kaur, fixed May 31 for arguments on charges while taking cognisance of the chargesheet.

During the arguments on cognizance, Special Public Prosecutor Akhand Pratap Singh apprised the court that during the raids, two accused were arrested. Later, Amit Chakraborty moved an application for turning an approver. In this case, there are eight protected witnesses, and on the basis of various statements including these eight, cognisance of these offences shall be taken. The present chargesheet is against Prabir and Newsclick PPK. Our investigation of other people and others whose names surfaced later is still continuing.

On the last date of the hearing, Delhi Police informed the Court that, we have obtained all the requisite sanctions under Section 45 of the UAPA and under Section 196 CrPC" for the prosecution of the accused in the NewsClick Case. Delhi Police Special Cell, through Special Public Prosecutor Akhand Pratap Singh, submitted that all the sanction orders have been obtained; in total, there are three different sanction orders that are being filed in the form of supplementary chargesheet under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The chargesheet was filed by the Special Cell of Delhi Police recently in Patiala House Court and contained nearly 8,000 pages with annexures.

According to Delhi Police, a chargesheet has been filed against Newsportal Newsclick and its founder, Prabir Purkayastha, in a case registered under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, following allegations that News Portal received huge money for pro-China propaganda.

In the matter, Newsclick HR Head Amit Chakraborty has been turned approver in the case.

Prabir Purkayastha, founder and editor-in-chief of NewsClick, along with the head of its human resource department, Amit Chakravarty, were arrested in the case on October 3, 2023. Both were arrested under stringent provisions of the UAPA under Sections 13, 16, 17, 18 and 22 of the UAPA, along with IPC sections 153A and 120B.

The Delhi police FIR stated that foreign funds in crores have been infused illegally in India by Indian and foreign entities inimical to India in pursuance of a conspiracy to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, to cause disaffection against India and to threaten the unity, integrity, and security of India.

The Delhi Police's Special Cell, in its FIR against news web portal NewsClick's founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha, stated that the People's Dispatch Portal, owned and maintained by M/S PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt. Ltd., has been used for intentionally peddling false narratives through paid news in lieu of crores of rupees of illegally routed foreign funds as part of a conspiracy.

Foreign funds in crores have been infused illegally in India by Indian and foreign entities inimical to India in pursuance of a conspiracy with the intention to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, to cause disaffection against India and to threaten the unity, integrity, and security of India, as stated in the FIR.