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- Published: July 18, 2021 10:20
New Delhi: In a new revelation into a money laundering case against media portal Newsclick and its promoters has taken a new twist after ED found out about their financial dealings with a businessman of Sri Lankan-Cuban descent.
He has been identified as Neville Roy Singham.
According to an investigation, he’s said to be identified because the key source of Rs 38 crore that PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt Ltd received between 2018 and 2021 from abroad.
According to the Sources in the agency, who have been keeping an eye on the flow of funds to the media outlet, alleged that Singham was associated with the Communist Party of China (CPC).
According to TOI report, the ED officials also reportedly said that the investigation had established that part of the money Newsclick allegedly received from foreign sources, which was then routed to Gautam Navlakha, one of the accused in the Elgar Parishad case. The ED had recently interrogated Navlakha in jail for his links with Newsclick’s founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha.
The Enforcement Directorate’s investigations showed that the media portal received funds from Justice and Education Fund Inc, US; GSPAN LLC, US; Tricontinental Ltd Inc, USA.
Sources said that all were located at the same address and Centro Popular Demidas, Brazil.
ED sources also said the agency’s searches at the premises of shareholders of PPK Newsclick in February this year had thrown up regular exchanges of emails in regard to the Communist Party of China (CPC).
The charge was denied by Prabir Purkayastha-Newsclick editor-in-chief.
“If they need anything against us, allow them to file of these facts within the chargesheet before the court. We are able to face trial and answer all those charges,” said the Newsclick founder.
Meanwhile, ED is additionally investigating payments of huge sums to journalists for any irregularities. Also, Purkayastha has been asked about the payment that was made to a CPM member, Bappaditya Sinha, who maintains Twitter handles of some party leaders.
He further said the govt had sent tax, the economic offences wing of the Delhi Police and therefore the ED after them. “All of them have an equivalent set of questions regarding the source of our funds and other people related to us,” he said.
He also defended the company’s share valued at quite Rs 11,000 each as a “fair assessment” of the company, the valuation that was conducted professionally, as is that the case with any startup.