06-10-2023 : The Delhi High Court has taken up the case challenging the arrest of Prabir Purkayastha, the founder of NewsClick, and Amit Chakravarty, the head of the human resources department. The arrest was made under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act). Senior advocate Kapil Sibal urgently brought this matter before the court, which was presided over by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma.
During the proceedings, Sibal argued that the arrest of Purkayastha and Chakravarty had been conducted in violation of Supreme Court decisions and was, therefore, illegal. He urged the bench to expedite the hearing of the case on the same day.
Responding to Sibal’s request, the bench, which also included Justice Sanjeev Narula, agreed to hear the matter promptly.
Purkayastha and Chakravarty were apprehended by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police earlier in the week, and the NewsClick office in Delhi was subsequently sealed.
The allegations against NewsClick involve accusations of receiving funds to disseminate pro-China propaganda.
In a separate development, a trial court in Delhi had instructed the city police to furnish Purkayastha and Chakravarty with a copy of the FIR (First Information Report), citing both a 2016 Supreme Court order and a 2010 Delhi High Court order. These legal directives aimed to ensure transparency and compliance with due process in the ongoing investigation.