Police in India has reportedly searched the houses of well-known journalists and authors as part of a probe related to allegations of Chinese funding into the news website NewsClick.
Reports suggest that Prabir Purkayastha, the creator of NewsClick, and a coworker were both detained. Mobile phones and computers were also confiscated by police. Authorities are apparently looking into claims that NewsClick obtained unlawful funding from China, a claim the company vigorously refutes. Critics claim that the action intentionally violates journalistic freedom.
“A total of 37 male suspects have been questioned at premises, nine female suspects have been questioned at their respective places of stay and digital devices, documents etc have been seized/collected for examination,” a police statement said.
Independent news and current affairs website called NewsClick was founded in 2009 and is well recognised for being critical of the government. It was accused of violating India’s regulations on foreign direct investment when tax authorities seized it in 2021.
A total of 7 people has been questioned by the police – Prabir Purkayastha, Abhisar Sharma, Bhasha Singh, Sanjay Rajoura, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Irfan Khan and Sohail Hashmi.
Opposition to investigation
The raids have infuriated a lot of people. They were denounced by journalists and news organisations as another example of the Indian government’s practise of arbitrary and intimidating actions.
The Press Club of India expressed its “deeply concerned” and pleaded with the administration to “come out with details.”
The National Alliance of Journalists and the Delhi Union of Journalists accused the government of pursuing NewsClick because of “their coverage of the issues of workers and farmers” in a joint statement.
Police revelation
The police in their remand application said, ‘Secret inputs revealed that Purkayastha, Neville Roy Singham and some other Chinese employees of Singham-owned Shanghai-based company have exchanged mails which expose their intent to show Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as not part of India.’ ‘Such attempts by these persons reveal their conspiracy to peddle a narrative, both globally and domestically, that Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh are disputed territories. Their attempts to tinker with the northern borders of India and to show Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as not parts of India in maps amount to an act intended towards undermining the unity and territorial integrity of India,’ the application stated.
According to the application, ‘The accused persons have also conspired to disrupt supplies and services essential to the life of community in India and abet damage and destruction of property by protraction of farmers’ protest through such illegal foreign funding.’ A false narrative was propagated to discredit the efforts of the Indian government to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the police said in its application.
The police further said that additionally, it was discovered that Gautam Navlakha, a stakeholder in NewsClick, continued to engage in anti-Indian and illegal actions, including actively supporting Naxal outfits that were outlawed and maintaining contacts with Gulam Nabi Fai, an ISI operative from Pakistan.
Furthermore, Purkayastha and his friends are suspected of syphoning off foreign cash, according to the police.
