According to Delhi Police, NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha has been accused of conspiring to promote a narrative that Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh are disputed territories. Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty were arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, who have filed a case under the anti-terror law, alleging that the portal received money for pro-China propaganda.
In their remand application, the police stated, “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.”
“These attempts reveal their conspiracy to peddle a narrative, both globally and domestically, that Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh are disputed territories, intending to undermine India’s unity and territorial integrity,” the application added.
It was also alleged that Gautam Navlakha, a shareholder in NewsClick, was involved in anti-Indian activities, supporting banned Naxal organizations and having a connection with Gulam Nabi Fai, an agent of Pakistan’s ISI.
Additionally, foreign funds were allegedly misappropriated by Purkayastha and associates. The accused were accused of conspiring to disrupt essential community services in India and damage property through illegal foreign funding, particularly during the farmers’ protest.
Furthermore, the police claimed that a false narrative was spread to discredit the Indian government’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The police investigation revealed that Purkayastha conspired with the People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism to interfere with the electoral process during the 2019 general elections. The People’s Dispatch Portal, owned by NewsClick, was allegedly used to spread false narratives in exchange for illegally routed foreign funds.
Email analysis showed that Singham, Purkayastha, and Chakravarty were in contact, discussing ways to depict a map of India without Kashmir and to label Arunachal Pradesh as disputed.
The accused allegedly received over Rs 115 crore disguised as foreign funds to achieve their objectives.
Raids were conducted at multiple locations, resulting in the arrest of the accused and the sealing of NewsClick’s Delhi office. Digital devices and documents were seized for further examination during these operations. The police have obtained a seven-day custody for both accused, as per their application for 15 days’ police remand.
Post Your Comments