Media: Coverage

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.

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.

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 raided the houses of several journalists and political commentators in the early morning of Tuesday, October 3. Police raided the houses of stand-up comic and political satirist Sanjay Rajoura, journalists Bhasha Singh and Prabir Purkayastha, and Abhisar Sharma of NewsClick, oral historian and activist Sohail Hashmi, writer Githa Hariharan, and senior journalists Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Urmilesh and Aunindyo Chakraborty.

Veteran journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta said he was asked if he had called a US number which belongs to his brother-in-law and if he uses the Signal messaging app.

Website’s founder Prabir Purkayastha and another staff arrested following raids over allegations of receiving foreign money for pro-China propaganda.