NewsClick case: Delhi Police to file 8000-page chargesheet tomorrow, name editors, co-founders, employees as accused

THE Delhi Police Special Cell will submit its 8000-page chargesheet before a Delhi court in connection with the NewsClick case on March 30. Police said the chargesheet names the editors, co-founders and employees along with US-based billionaire Neville Roy Singham as "accused". 

A case was lodged against NewsClick under the anti-terror law, 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 ₹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 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, news agency PTI reported.

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 seven in other states against the suspects named in the FIR and those whose names surfaced in 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 individuals, including nine women journalists, were questioned by the Special Cell.