'Funded Maoists, Rioters': Delhi Police Files Chargesheet, NewsClick Responds

NewsClick, in a statement on 1 May, said the allegations were 'concocted and baseless'.

Providing funds to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a banned terror organisation in India.

"Stoking" violence during the 2020 Delhi riots.

Using reporters to distribute money to "rioters" associated with the 2019 protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

These are some of the allegations against NewsClick and its Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkaystha in an 8,000-page chargesheet filed under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) by the Delhi Police Special Cell in a Delhi court.

Purkayastha was arrested in October 2023, along with NewsClick’s HR head Amit Chakraborty, for "illegally infusing foreign funds" through Chinese telecom companies as part of a "larger criminal conspiracy to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India."

On Tuesday, 30 April, a Delhi court took cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police earlier this month, Bar & Bench reported. The case has been listed for hearing on 31 May.

In the chargesheet accessed by The Quint, the Delhi Police also alleged that Purkayastha "tinkered" with the map of Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh and “altered” the Chinese map of Aksai Chin. 

Terming all the allegations as "concocted and baseless", NewsClick, in a statement on Wednesday, 1 May, said that the investigations by the Delhi Police "are attempts to target our independent journalism."

What else does the chargesheet allege – and what has NewsClick said in response? The Quint breaks it down for you.

'Active Links with CPI (Maoist), LeT'

The issue first began in August 2023 when a New York Times (NYT) report alleged that NewsClick was funded by Shanghai-based American tech mogul Neville Roy Singham for "pushing Chinese propaganda."

On 17 August 2023, the Delhi Police Special Cell filed a First Information Report (FIR). Purkayastha and Chakraborty were subsequently arrested on 3 October 2023 after day-long raids were conducted at over 30 locations, including homes of journalists, in connection with the probe.

The FIR named Purkayastha, Chakraborty, Singham, and Gautam Navlakha, an activist accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, for their alleged conspiracy of "peddling a narrative against India." Chakraborty has since turned approver in the case.

It invoked multiple sections of the UAPA, besides sections 153A (promoting enmity between groups) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). You can read more about it here.

In its chargesheet, the Delhi Police has alleged that NewsClick had "active links/association with the Communist Party of India (Maoist) declared as Terrorist Organisation under the First Schedule of UA(P) Act, 1967."

"Evidence of witnesses that Gautam Navlakha, Prabir Purkayastha had given money to the Maoist for violent activities by the Naxalites. Investigation has revealed that Gautam Navlakha and Prabir supported the Maoist/ Naxalites and funded their activities."

Delhi Police chargesheet accessed by The Quint

The police also alleged that funds were given to LeT, a terrorist organisation banned under the UAPA. "Active association with terrorists i.e. LET. Also gave financial assistance to them," the Delhi Police alleged in its chargesheet.

In response to this, NewsClick said that Purkayastha "does not have links to any terrorist group."

"Prabir's long-term association with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – he has been a member for over 50 years – means he would never support, financially or otherwise, either 'Maoists,' Lashkar-e-Taiba or any other group or individual with any violent and/ or illegal plans. His political involvement and views are very much in the public realm."

NewsClick statement released on 1 May

'Involved in Malicious Disinformation Campaign'

The Delhi Police also alleged that NewsClick was involved in "malicious disinformation campaign" using Purkayastha's company PP NewsClick India LLP.

“PP NewsClick India LLP was converted into a private ltd company (sic) so that funds should be given in the guise of investment and service agreement amount received of Rs 91 crore. This fund was later used in terror activities,” the chargesheet, as seen by The Quint, reads. 

Apart from that, the Delhi Police also alleged that during the CAA-NRC protest in Shaheen Bagh in 2019, Prabir Purkayastha also had been allegedly "utilising his employees/partners for the purpose of disbursing cash to the rioters."

"Prabir Purkayastha, and his office PPK NewsClick Pvt Ltd indulged into mass mobilisation against CAA/NRC and to spread misinformation about CAA/NRC and to publish articles and videos causing hatred among caste groups, ill will and disaffection against the country which was prejudicial to maintenance of harmony..."

Delhi Police chargesheet accessed by The Quint

In addition, the chargesheet also stated that a company named PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt Ltd was "specifically incorporated" to allegedly infuse funds in PPK NewsClick (owned by Purkayastha) for "stoking and sustaining recent Delhi Riots, disinformation campaign on COVID-19, stoking farmer's protest and outright terror funding of banned LWE and Pak sponsored Kashmiri terrorist organisations."

On this, the media outlet responded, saying, "Like many media organisations, NewsClick covered major developments in the country, including the farmers’ protests and the anti-CAA-NRC protests. The work of our journalists is in the public domain. Neither NewsClick nor Prabir supplied cash for distribution to protestors. And neither did they ‘stoke’ any riots."

'Tinkering With Map of Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh'

The Delhi Police also alleged in the chargesheet that NewsClick had tinkered with the map of Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh and had “altered” Chinese map of Aksai Chin. 

The media outlet allegedly also showed "India without Kashmir in their news bulletin," police said.

In addition, the Delhi Police also claimed that Purkayastha, conspired with Neville Roy Singham during the COVID-19 pandemic and criticised the efforts of the Indian government.

"Prabir Purkayastha in furtherance of common conspiracy with Neville Roy Singham and others during the COVID-19 time had criticised noble efforts of the Indian government to control COVID-19 and also published his articles against the vaccine manufactured by the Indian pharmaceutical companies with the intention of causing disaffection against India."

Delhi Police chargesheet accessed by The Quint

In response, NewsClick said that throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the media outlet had published discussions with and comments by a range of experts.

"The common thread in all this was the importance of affordable and safe universal vaccination, and a scientific approach to the management of the pandemic. Prabir has been, over several decades, part of science and technology groups that have advocated self-reliance – strengthening indigenous manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical sector. He has also argued against intellectual property barriers that make vaccines inaccessible to the poor. Again, all of this work is publicly available on NewsClick in the form of articles and videos."

NewsClick statement

The media outlet concluded by stating that its coverage of protests and critiques of the government’s policies was being portrayed as "anti-India."

"These allegations are based on the statements of ‘protected witnesses’ which have to be proved in court. There is no corroborative material to support these statements, which will be contested by NewsClick in the courts in due course," the statement read.