Delhi Police Secures Sanction to Prosecute NewsClick Founder Under UAPA, Informed Court

Delhi Police informed Delhi’s Patiala House Court that necessary sanction has been obtained to prosecute NewsClick founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha under the anti-terror law UAPA.

The Case

The case alleges that the news portal received funds to disseminate pro-China propaganda. The prosecution informed Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur that the sanction documents have been submitted as part of a supplementary charge sheet in the case. The judge scheduled further hearing for April 30.

UAPA

Under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, an independent authority recommends to the competent authority (central or state government) whether to prosecute an accused after reviewing evidence gathered by the investigating agency. It is the competent authority’s decision to grant or deny sanction.

Amit Chakravarty

In January, the court allowed NewsClick HR Head Amit Chakravarty to become an approver in the case. The judge granted Chakravarty pardon, as he claimed to possess “material information” he was willing to disclose to Delhi Police. Chakravarty and Purkayastha were arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police on October 3 last year and are currently in judicial custody.

According to the FIR, significant funds from China were allegedly funneled to the news portal to “disrupt the sovereignty of India” and incite disaffection against the country. It further accused Purkayastha of conspiring with a group — People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) — to undermine the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Raids were conducted at 88 locations in Delhi and seven in other states on October 3 targeting individuals named in the FIR and those identified during data analysis, police reported. Approximately 300 electronic gadgets were seized from NewsClick offices and the residences of journalists who were questioned.

Following the raids, 46 individuals, including nine female journalists, were interrogated by the Special Cell.

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