In Photos: Journalists Gather at Press Club To Protest Against NewsClick Raids
15 journalist bodies have also written to CJI DY Chandrachud, urging him to ensure the protection of journalists.
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Several journalists gathered at Press Club of India in New Delhi on Wednesday, 4 October, to protest against raids on people connected with the media portal NewsClick on Tuesday.
(Photo: Varsha Sriram/The Quint)
The raids reportedly took place at the residences of 46 people, including the portal's editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha – who has been arrested.
(Photo: Varsha Sriram/The Quint)
Veteran journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta.
(Photo: Varsha Sriram/The Quint)
Eighteen journalist bodies, including Press Club of India and DIGIPUB, have also written to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, urging him to ensure the protection of journalists.
(Photo: Varsha Sriram/The Quint)
A case has been registered by the Delhi Police‘s Special Cell against NewsClick under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA.
(Photo: Varsha Sriram/The Quint)
NewsClick editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha has moved Delhi's Patiala House Court seeking a copy of the FIR against him.
(Photo: Varsha Sriram/The Quint)
Taking cognisance of Purkayastha's plea, the court has sent a notice to the Delhi Police.
(Photo Courtesy: Suhasini Haidar)
Apart from Purkayastha, NewsClick's Human Resources chief Amit Chakravarty has also been arrested.
(Photo Courtesy: Suhasini Haidar)
"A total of 37 male suspects have been questioned at premises, 9 female suspects have been questioned at their respective places of stay and digital devices, documents etc. have been seized/collected for examination," the Delhi Police had said on Wednesday.
(Photo Courtesy: Suhasini Haidar)
Some journalists, including Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Urmilesh, were also taken to the Delhi Special Cell's office for questioning. Both were subsequently released.
(Photo Courtesy: Suhasini Haidar)
The news portal has been under the scanner of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) amid allegations that it received funds from China.
(Photo Courtesy: Suhasini Haidar)
Speaking to The Quint, a journalist at NewsClick said that "the police reached her residence with a search warrant and questioned her for over three hours."
(Photo Courtesy: Sanjay Ahirwal)
Journalists were also reportedly questioned regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2020-21 farmers' protests, and student politics at JNU.
(Photo Courtesy: Sanjay Ahirwal)
INDIA bloc Opposition parties have come down heavily on the raids conducted on several individuals associated with the NewsClick.
(Photo Courtesy: Sanjay Ahirwal)
"In the last nine years, the BJP government has deliberately persecuted and suppressed the media by deployinginvestigative agencies to suppress the British Broadcasting Corporation, Newslaundry, Dainik Bhaskar, Bharat Samachar, the Kashmir Walla, the Wire etc., and most recently the journalists of NewsClick," a joint statement by the INDIA bloc read.
(Photo Courtesy: Sanjay Ahirwal)
The controversy regarding NewsClick began in August this year when The New York Times alleged links between tech mogul Neville Roy Singham, who finances NewsClick, and the Communist Party of China (CCP).
(Photo Courtesy: Sanjay Ahirwal)
The New York Times report claimed that Singham's networks fueled disinformation and influenced mainstream narratives by promoting pro-China messages.
(Photo Courtesy: Sanjay Ahirwal)
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