Police FIR draws on ED claims, links NewsClick to Navlakha-Maoist case

The Indian Express has learnt that in its FIR against NewsClick, the Special Cell has alleged that the portal had been receiving funds since 2018 from three different entities – two linked to US-based businessman Neville Roy Singham and a third to his wife’s NGO.

In August this year, an investigation by The New York Times had alleged that NewsClick was among organisations funded by a network tied to Singham for allegedly pushing Chinese propaganda across the world.

In its application seeking the police remand of Purkayastha and Chakraborty, the Special Cell referred to a case registered on August 14 by the Enforcement Directorate against PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt Ltd – the ED had searched NewsClick’s premises in February 2021 as part of its probe into foreign remittances allegedly received between 2018 and 2021.

The Special Cell FIR, registered in August, has also mentioned Purkayastha and Navlakha’s “friendship relation” since 1991.

The FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by an Inspector of the Special Cell police station and an ACP was appointed investigation officer.

In its remand application, the Special Cell stated there were “secret inputs” that “foreign funds in crores have been infused illegally in India by Indian and foreign entities inimical to India in pursuance of conspiracy with the intention to disrupt sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, to cause disaffection against India and to threaten the unity, integrity, security of India”.

“Since April 2018, such fraudulent funds in crores of rupees have been received by M/S PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt Ltd through illegal means during a short span of five years from M/s Worldwide Media Holdings LLC, USA and others,” the remand application stated.

It stated that an analysis of 4.27 lakh emails showed that the accused were “in direct touch with each other” and were “discussing how to create a new map of India without Kashmir and to show Arunachal Pradesh as disputed area” and to this end, they had received “more than Rs 115 crore” in the “guise of foreign funds”.

The remand application claimed that the arrested persons were trying to create “disaffection” among various sections of society as part of a “larger conspiracy”.

Naming Navlakha, the remand application stated that he was a shareholder in NewsClick since its inception in 2018. “(He) remained involved in anti-Indian and unlawful activities such as actively supporting banned Naxal organisations and having anti-national nexus,” it said.

It also stated that the accused created a “false narrative” to “discredit” the government’s Covid-19 management.

“The accused persons have also conspired to disrupt supplies and services essential to the life of a community in India and abet damage and destruction of property by protraction of farmers’ protest through such illegal foreign funding,” the remand application claimed.

Contacted by The Indian Express for his response to the police claims, Navlakha’s Advocate Yug M Chaudhary declined comment, saying he did not have any details in the matter.

On Wednesday, NewsClick released a statement, saying it “does not publish any news or information at the behest of any Chinese entity or authority, directly or indirectly… does not propagate Chinese propaganda on its website… does not take directions from Neville Roy Singham regarding the content published on its website”.

“All funding received by Newsclick has been through the appropriate banking channels and have been reported to the relevant authorities as required by law, as substantiated by the Reserve Bank of India in proceedings before the High Court of Delhi,” it said.

NewsClick said “the line of questioning adopted by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police – regarding reportage on the Delhi riots, the farmers protests etc., all demonstrate the motivated and malicious intent behind the present proceedings. We have full faith in the courts and the judicial process.”

A day earlier, more than 200 police personnel went to Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad and Mumbai to raid the homes of journalists and persons associated with NewsClick. More than 50 homes and offices were raided and 46 journalists and activists were detained for questioning.

Police also sealed the news portal’s office in South Delhi and seized electronic devices.