
The HR head of NewsClick, a news website, has filed an application to become a government witness, India Today reported on Monday. The HR head, Amit Chakravarty, was arrested in October after hours of raids in connection with a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations the portal received money for pro-China propaganda.
Chakravarty moved the application on Saturday before Special Judge Hardeep Kaur, seeking pardon in the case and claiming he had material information that he was willing to disclose to the Delhi Police, which is investigating the matter. The judge posted the matter before a magisterial court to record Chakravarty’s statement.
In October, the Delhi Police arrested NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and Chakravarty after searching more than 30 locations and questioning several journalists in a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA.
The police sealed NewsClick's office in Delhi, questioned 46 suspects, and examined digital devices, including laptops and mobile phones. The officials said that 37 male suspects were questioned at the office of the Delhi Police Special Cell, while nine female suspects were quizzed at their respective places of stay.
Among those questioned were journalists Urmilesh, Aunindyo Chakravarty, Abhisar Sharma, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta as well as historian Sohail Hashmi, satirist Sanjay Rajoura and D Raghunandan of the Centre for Technology & Development.
NewsClick is facing a probe from the Economic Offences Wing (EoW) of the Delhi Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) amid allegations it received funds from China.
In 2021, the Economic Offenses Wing of Delhi Police started an investigation against the media firm over suspicious foreign funding. The EoW had also registered an FIR in this case.
The ED in 2022 had attached a South Delhi flat, worth Rs 4.52 crore, linked to Purkayastha apart from fixed deposits worth Rs 41 lakh as part of this money laundering probe.
The media portal has, however, rejected all the allegations levelled in a Delhi Police FIR against it, and said the proceedings initiated are "nothing but a blatant attempt to muzzle the free and independent press in India".
The Delhi Police has alleged a large sum of funds came from China to disrupt India's sovereignty and cause disaffection against the country as part of a "larger criminal conspiracy".
The police claimed the foreign fund was infused by Neville Roy Singham, an active member of the propaganda department of the Communist Party of China.
The portal, however, said it had not received any funding or instructions from China or Chinese entities. "Newsclick has never committed or sought to encourage violence, secession or any illegal act in any manner whatsoever."
(With inputs from PTI)