Media: Coverage

Journalists had initially planned a protest march to Jantar Mantar, but permission was denied.

“Nature of employment” at the NewsClick news portal, coverage of the 2020 Delhi Riots and calls made to the US — these were some of the questions allegedly put to journalists questioned Tuesday in a fresh case against the news portal, registered under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, for alleged receipt of funds from China.

An Indian news portal being investigated over alleged illegal funding said on Wednesday it does not publish propaganda and its funding had been received through appropriate banking channels.

Police carried out early morning raids yesterday on the NewsClick office and the homes of almost 50 journalists, activists, and comedians across India under anti-terrorism laws, deepening concerns over a crackdown on freedom of expression in the country. The journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, the activist Teesta Setalvad, and the comedian Sanjay Rajoura were also among those raided and taken in for police questioning. After the questioning Paranjoy Guha Thakurta told journalists that a FIR has been lodged ‘apparently’ under the Unlawful Activities Preventions Act.

NewsClick journalists who were raided by Delhi Police on Tuesday in connection with a probe into the news portal's alleged foreign funding, were questioned on whether they had reported on matters like the 2020 Delhi riots, the farmers’ protest against the Narendra Modi government’s farm laws and the COVID-19 crisis.

Even though the raids on NewsClick and its journalists came two months after a New York Times investigation on the portal, the Delhi Police’s probe began much earlier in August 2020 when its Economic Offences Wing registered a case against the website.

The protesting journalists said they are getting support from different media organisations and press clubs across the country.

The electronic devices – laptops and telephones – of several journalists were seized by the police. In total, 37 men and nine women were questioned by the Delhi police's special police.

3 अक्टूबर की सुबह दिल्ली पुलिस ने कई पत्रकारों के घर पर छापेमारी की और कई घंटों की पूछताछ के बाद न्यूज़क्लिक के संस्थापक प्रबीर पुरकायस्थ और सम्पादक अमित चक्रवर्ती को UAPA के तहत गिरफ़्तार कर लिया। इस पर ठोस रूप से जानकारी नहीं है कि उन पर किस कारण से UAPA की धारा लगाई है। ठोस जानकारी है तो वो ये कि सरकार ने बेल आइकन दबा दिया है। वही बेल आइकन जिसके लिए प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने अपने यू ट्यूब चैनल पर आकर कहा था कि उनके चैनल के लिए दबा दें। 

Delhi Police on Tuesday brought Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Urmilesh to the special cell offices in the national capital. Two senior police officials also are at the special cell premises.