New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted raids at the office premises of a digital news platform NewsClick, in connection with money laundering probe.
Searches were reportedly carried out at the residence of portal’s owner and promoters over alleged receipt of Rs 30 crore from overseas in past 3 years.
According to a PTI report, a total of 8 premises were raided that included those of the website – Newsclick – and its promoters in South Delhi’s Saidulajab, Gurgaon and some other areas.
Reports suggested that the investigating agency raided premises at about 10 AM on Tuesday over allegations that the portal was receiving foreign funding.
Senior officials of the agency have remained tight-lipped on the matter.
However, sources said that the raids were conducted to collect more evidence as it is suspected of receiving foreign funding. The role of a “defunct company” shut for 2 years allegedly used to transact funds worth over ₹30 crore is also under the scanner, sources said.
Journalist Abhisar Sharma, who hosts two YouTube programmes for NewsClick, said the raids started since 10 am.
ED raid at https://t.co/WK95HKtJzE ‘s office & Directors/Shareholders home since 10am this morning. @newsclickin . This is where I do my shows Bol ke lab aazaad hain tere and Newschakra
— Abhisar Sharma (@abhisar_sharma) February 9, 2021
Media bodies condemn raids
The Editors Guild of India expressed “deep concern” about the raids at the Newclick office and at the residences of its senior journalists.
Many journalists have also taken to Twitter to allege that the news portal is being forced to ‘pay the price’ for being critical of Central government.
DIGIPUB, an umbrella organisation of news websites, issued a statement, saying the action was an attack on free press. It said it was an act to “suppress journalism critical of the government and its allies”.
NewsClick.in was founded in 2009 by senior journalist Prabir Purkayastha, who is also the Editor-in-Chief of the organisation. The website’s political leaning is much obvious and is overly critical of Modi government on most issues.
