NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha released from Tihar
Prabir Purkayastha, the founder and chief editor of NewsClick, was released from Tihar Jail on May 15 following a Supreme Court ruling that deemed his arrest “invalid” and a subsequent bail grant by a Delhi court. He had been incarcerated since November 2, 2023.
Upon his release, Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur stipulated that Purkayastha could be freed upon furnishing a bail bond amounting to Rs 1 lakh, with the condition that he refrain from contacting witnesses and approvers linked to the case. Furthermore, the court mandated that he refrain from discussing the case’s merits or travel abroad without prior court authorisation.
Initially, the lawyer representing the Delhi Police’s special cell had proposed a condition barring Purkayastha from contacting individuals “reflected” in the chargesheet, but later withdrew the request. Advocate Arshdeep Singh, representing Purkayastha, highlighted that the chargesheet also mentioned the name of Githa Hariharan, his client’s partner.
Prabir Purkayastha’s arrest on October 3, 2023, by the Delhi Police’s special cell on the charge of allegedly receiving funds to propagate pro-China content through NewsClick.
The police filed an FIR, accusing him under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, including those related to unlawful activities, terrorist acts, raising funds for terrorism, conspiracy and offences by companies, along with promoting enmity between different groups and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code.
The FIR was prompted by a report published by The New York Times on August 8, 2023, alleging that NewsClick had received funds from China-based American millionaire Neville Roy Singham, purportedly an “active member of the Propaganda department of the Communist Party of China”, to manipulate India’s map by portraying Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as disputed territories. The police asserted that Purkayastha received foreign funds amounting to Rs 115 crore.
As part of Delhi Police, its special cell conducted searches at 88 locations in Delhi and seven states, and seized approximately 300 electronic devices from NewsClick‘s offices.
