New Delhi: NewsClick’s human resource department (HRD) head Amit Chakravarty on Monday approached court and sought its nod to turn approver in the case.
The leading portal was caught in the eye of storm over allegations that the portal received foreign funding from Chinese agents for fanning anti-India propaganda. Subsequently, the portal came the lens of investigative lens as the latter looked into its ‘concealed operations to weaken & disrupt’ India’s sovereignty.
A case was lodged against the portal, under anti-terror law Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Portal’s HR head Amit Chakravarty had moved the application in court last week and sought pardon on the grounds that he was willing to disclose curial information to the Delhi police.
Notably, the news portal’s founder Prabir Purkayastha along with Amit Chakravarty were arrested in October this year, after searches at the residence of multiple scribes.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also conducted searches on the firm’s premises.
What Delhi Police said
Delhi Police in its probe found that NewsClick had allegedly received nearly ₹ 38 crore from entities with alleged links to China. This funding was alleged used to build & propagate pro-China agenda via its write-ups.
The portal allegedly received Rs 29 crore as fees for export services while Rs 9 crore was channeled to its accounts via FDI, sources in Delhi police said.
These funds was also shared with activists Teesta Setalvad & Gautam Navlakha, it said.
The Delhi Police Special cell had conducted raids at 88 locations in Delhi and 7 in other states, regarding Chinese funding of the portal.
The special cell also questioned a couple of senior journalists regarding this case. It also seized 300 electronic gadgets from the offices of NewsClick & the residence of journalists who were questioned.
