Following are the reports on Delhi Police FIR against newsclick.in founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha posted by the Asia News International (ANI) & the response by newsclick.in posted on its site on 7 October, 2023. The issue of bail for newsclick.in founder is before the Delhi High Court (DHC) and will be heard on 9 October, 2023. An update will be added of what the DHC decides as and when it is received: Editor
NewsClick peddled false narratives in lieu of crores of illegally routed foreign funds: Delhi Police
New Delhi (India), October 6 (ANI): The Delhi Police’s Special Cell, in its FIR against NewsClick founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha, stated that People’s Dispatch Portal, owned and maintained by 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.
It is further learnt that foreign funds include those from big Chinese Telecom companies such as Xiaomi and Vivo, among others.
“Foreign funds in crores have been infused illegally in India by Indian and Foreign entities inimical to India in pursuance of 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,” Delhi Police stated in the FIR.
Delhi Police through a remand application on Wednesday alleged that NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha conspired to peddle the narrative that Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh are disputed territories with the help of a Shanghai-based company.
Delhi Police informed the court through the remand application that secret inputs revealed that Prabir Purkayastha, Neville Roy Singham (said to be an active member of the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China) and some other Chinese employees of Neville Roy Singham-owned Shanghai-based Company by the name of StarStream have exchanged emails which expose their intent to show Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as not part of India.
The remand plea further stated that 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,” Delhi Police stated.
The accused persons also conspired to disrupt supplies and services essential to the life and abet damage and destruction of property by protraction of farmers’ protests through such illegal foreign funding, they added.
Meanwhile, Purkayastha on Friday moved the Delhi High Court seeking the quashing of FIR registered against him and others. His plea also challenged a trial court order granting remand to him and HR Head Amit Chakravarty in the matter.
On Thursday, Patiala House Court of Delhi allowed a plea moved by Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakravarty for the supply of a copy of FIR to them.
Since April 2018, such fraudulent funds in crores of rupees have been received by PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt. Ltd through illegal means during a short span of five years from Worldwide Media Holdings LLC, USA and others, the remand report stated.
“Such foreign funds have been fraudulently infused by one Neville Roy Singham through a complex web of several entities including Worldwide Media Holdings (incorporated by Jason Pfetcher, a close associate of Neville Roy Singham, People Support foundation (Jodie Evans, wife of Neville Roy Singham being director), Justice and Education Fund, GSPAN LLC (owned by Neville Roy Singham), The Tricontinental Ltd Inc US, Centro Popular De Midas, Brazil,” it added.
It was learnt that both Tricontinental India Pvt Ltd and GSPAN India Pvt Ltd were incorporated by The Tricontinental Ltd, USA and GSPAN LLC USA respectively to infuse funds in India by circumventing the existing rules for receipt of foreign funds by NGOs.
Further, it is learnt that Gautam Navlakha who has been a shareholder in PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt Ltd since its inception in the year 2018, remained involved in anti-Indian and unlawful activities such as actively supporting banned Naxal organisations and having anti-national nexus with Gulam Nabi Fai who is an agent of ISI of Pakistan.
It was also learnt that Gautam Navlakha has been associated with Prabir Purkayastha since 1991 when they incorporated Sagrik Process Analyst Pvt Ltd, stated Delhi Police.
Source- ANI
NEWSCLICK response on 7 October, 2023.
Pursuant to directions of the Hon’ble Special Judge, Patiala House, New Delhi, Prabir Purkayastha was supplied with a copy of the FIR registered by the Delhi Police Special Cell only yesterday (Thursday) night. We immediately moved the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi seeking quashing of the FIR as well as release of Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakraborty from their illegal police custody.
The allegations in the FIR, apart from being ex facie untenable and bogus, have been made time and again, in investigations by three government agencies – the Enforcement Directorate, the Economic Offences Wing, Delhi Police, and the income tax department. None of these investigations led to any chargesheets or complaints over the last three years. In fact, Prabir was granted interim protection in these investigations. The latest FIR has been registered only to circumvent this protection and carry out illegal arrests under the draconian UAPA.
As stated in previous Newsclick statements, Newsclick has not received any funding or instructions from China or Chinese entities. Further, Newsclick has never committed or sought to encourage violence, secession or any illegal act in any manner whatsoever. A perusal of Newsclick’s coverage, which is freely available online, should be sufficient to indicate the veracity of Newsclick’s claims.
The completely absurd nature of allegations in the FIR clearly show that the proceedings initiated against Newsclick are nothing but a blatant attempt to muzzle the free and independent press in India.
The Delhi High Court today, was pleased to issue notice in the petitions filed by Prabir and Amit, and fix the matters for further hearing on Monday.
Newsclick has full faith in the judicial system of India and is confident that its stand will be vindicated.
Source- newsclick.in
