NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty, who were arrested under the anti-terror law UAPA due to allegations of receiving funds for pro-China propaganda, have been remanded in police custody for seven days, according to officials.
The police conducted searches at more than 30 locations on Tuesday and questioned numerous journalists in connection with the case. Subsequently, Purkayastha and Chakravarty were arrested. They were presented before a court, which decided to grant the police custody.
On the same day, the police sealed NewsClick’s office in Delhi, while 46 “suspects” were interrogated. Digital devices, including laptops and mobile phones, as well as documents, were seized for further examination. These search operations were primarily concentrated in the Delhi-NCR region.
Several prominent individuals, including journalists Urmilesh, Aunindyo Chakravarty, Abhisar Sharma, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, historian Sohail Hashmi, satirist Sanjay Rajoura, and D Raghunandan of the Centre for Technology & Development, were among those questioned. After lengthy interrogations lasting over six hours, they were eventually released.
The case has raised concerns about freedom of the press and the implications of the UAPA in relation to journalistic activities. It also highlights the broader challenges associated with issues of propaganda, foreign influence, and the legal framework surrounding such matters in the media landscape.
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