NewsClick: Police to File 8,000-Page Chargesheet, Editors, Co-Founders, Employees Named as Accused

New Delhi: The Delhi Police Special Cell is set to submit its 8,000-page chargesheet before a Delhi court in the NewsClick case today. The police said the chargesheet names the editors, co-founders and employees of the news portal along with US-based billionaire Neville Roy Singham as "accused". 

The case was lodged against NewsClick under the anti-terror law and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) over allegations that the news portal received money to spread pro-China propaganda. In the chargesheet, the news portal has been accused of taking more than Rs 80 crore from Chinese entities.

The development came days after a Delhi court granted police 10 days more to complete its investigation against NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha. The judge had also extended the judicial custody of accused-turned-approver Amit Chakravarty, NewsClick's HR department head, by 10 more days.

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had arrested Purkayastha and Chakravarty on October 3 last year.

The FIR filed in connection with the case alleged that a large amount of funds to the news portal came from China to "disrupt the sovereignty of India" and cause disaffection against the country.

It also alleged that Purkayastha conspired with a group — People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) — to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

On October 3, raids were conducted at 88 locations in Delhi and in seven other states against the suspects named in the FIR and those whose names surfaced during the analysis of data, police said.

Around 300 electronic gadgets were seized from the offices of NewsClick and the residences of the journalists who were examined. After the raids, 46 people, including nine women journalists, were questioned by the Special Cell.

Patiala House court on April 16 will hear the argument to take cognisance of the chargesheet filed by Delhi Police in the UAPA case related to the news portal.