After raids by the Delhi Police early on Tuesday, 3rd October, news has surfaced that Abhisar Sharma, Urmilesh, former NDTV Managing Editor Aunindyo Chakraborty, and others have been detained, in the case related to foreign funding from China. As per reports, raids were underway at 30 different locations, all related to individuals related to NewsClick.
It is notable here that the news of detained journalists is yet to be confirmed. Republic TV reported that 8 journalists are being raided, apart from the official premises related to NewsClick. The journalists currently facing raid are expected to be taken to the Delhi Police special cell office later in the day.
Indian Express reported that comedian Sanjay Rajaura was taken to Delhi Police special cell office at Lodhi Colony. More individuals are expected to be detained and questioned.
Corrigendum: Nine journalists have been detained by @DelhiPolice on the charges of tarnishing the image of the government & the country by taking money from abroad. The funding received by these journalists was through illegal foreign funding.
— Pramod Kumar Singh (@SinghPramod2784) October 3, 2023
As per some reports, multiple journalists related to NewsClick have been detained by the Delhi Police in the case as they raids continue. Earlier, Abhisar Sharma had tweeted that the police have raided his premises and have taken away his laptop and phone.
Delhi police landed at my home. Taking away my laptop and Phone…
— Abhisar Sharma (@abhisar_sharma) October 3, 2023
The Delhi Police has registered a fresh case under UAPA, other than the ED case, as per reports. UAPA is related to charges under terrorist activities and terror funding. if UAPA sections are applied, the case is going to be very difficult for the NewsClick and concerned individuals. A forensic team of the Delhi Police is also on site, seizing pieces of evidence, Republic reported.
Fresh case registered against NewsClick under UAPA; searches underway at premises of NewsClick Journalists. #NewsClick #DelhiPolice
— Republic (@republic) October 3, 2023
WATCH #LIVE here-https://t.co/t2tp9oqfWm pic.twitter.com/Ht2F2jR3SZ
As per reports, some of the evidence uncovered during the ED investigation demanded premises of investigation that are beyond the authority of the ED. Hence a fresh case has been filed under UAPA and a Delhi Police investigation has been initiated.
It is pertinent to note that NewsClick has been under the scanner for illicit foreign funding since the year 2021 – when Abhisar Sharma was working for the portal as well. Teesta Setalvad and Gautam Navlakha were also accused of taking funds form China that were obtained through newsClick.
Reports have surfaced that Teesta Setalvad’s property in Mumbai is also being raided by Delhi Police.
#BREAKING | मुंबई: तीस्ता सीतलवाड़ के आवास पर दिल्ली पुलिस की तलाशी जारी.. तलाशी के दौरान मुंबई पुलिस भी मौजूद #TeestaSetalvad #DelhiPolice #Mumbai #Raid pic.twitter.com/CjfBzKojg5
— Times Now Navbharat (@TNNavbharat) October 3, 2023
Earlier on August 22, the Delhi High Court issued notice to news portal NewsClick’s Editor in Chief Prabir Purkayastha on a plea filed by Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EoW), seeking direction to vacate its interim order asking the probe agency not to take any coercive action against the news site, news agency ANI reported.
The high court, on July 7, 2021, passed an order directing that Prabir Purkayastha shall not be arrested, adding, however, that he will have to cooperate with the investigation as and when required by the investigating officer.
Enforcement Directorate says NewsClick received funds from US-based companies worth crores
The investigation conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) unveiled that an overseas fund amounting to Rs. 38.05 crores was deceitfully injected into NewsClick over a span of three years.
The received funds purportedly found their way to numerous contentious journalists, among them Gautam Navlakha and individuals associated with Teesta Setalvad.
Under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a thorough search at the premises of PPK Newsclick Studio, its affiliated entities, as well as the directors and shareholders (consisting of ten entities) situated in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) in February 2021.
Throughout the course of the search, foreign currency, documents indicating wrongdoing, and digital proof were confiscated.
Upon meticulous examination of the gathered evidence, it was uncovered that there were dubious transactions involving foreign inward remittances. Specifically, Rs. 9.59 crore was introduced through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and an additional Rs. 28.46 crore was purportedly generated through the export of services.
The ED Investigation brought to light that Prabir Purkayastha, the Director of Newsclick, had been acquainted with Neville Roy Singham of Worldwide Media Holdings LLC (Limited Liability Company) since 2017.
Based on the digital evidence seized, it was revealed that Prabir, in collaboration with Neville Roy Singham, who is reportedly linked to the Communist Party of China (CPC), had orchestrated a complex scheme.
To elaborate, the allegations suggest that Prabir Purkayastha and his associates, in an effort to secure a fund of Rs. 9.59 crores from a Chinese entity with significant emphasis, established a legal façade of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Furthermore, it is claimed that Neville Roy Singham had earlier transferred funds to Prabir under the pretext of consultancy fees, ostensibly to propagate a “leftist ideology”.
Both Prabir Purkayastha and the personnel at Newsclick Studio have been unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the receipt of Rs. 28.46 crore from foreign sources, as per reports.
NewsClick and China link
After the ED investigation in 2021, an investigation by the New York Times in August 2023 uncovered an ecosystem of activist organisations, non-profits, shell corporations, and their intimate ties to China and Chinese propaganda. Notably, Neville Roy Singham is at the heart of this network. The article read, “What is less known, and is hidden amid a tangle of nonprofit groups and shell companies, is that Mr Singham works closely with the Chinese government media machine and is financing its propaganda worldwide.”
It was highlighted that he has been successful in spreading talking points from the communist administration in nations including India, Brazil, South Africa, and the United States under the guise of progressive advocacy. The report pointed out, “In New Delhi, corporate filings show, Singham’s network financed a news site, NewsClick, that sprinkled its coverage with Chinese government talking points.”
This is a developing story.
