Delhi Police has raided at least 30 locations in the city including houses of several journalists and commentators associated with the news outlet Newsclick on Tuesday morning seizing their laptops and mobile phones, in connection with an alleged illegal foreign funding case.
Delhi police said that an interrogation has started “related to terror links” as it has registered a fresh case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, or UAPA, against the news portal.
These newspersons include video journalist Abhisar Sharma, senior journalist Bhasha Singh, veteran journalist Urmilesh, Newsclick editor Prabir Purkayastha and writer Githa Hariharan, renowned journalist and commentator on the political economy Aunindyo Chakravarty, activist and historian Sohail Hashmi, and satirist and stand-up comic Sanjay Rajaura.
Employees were asked about whether they had reported on events like the farmers protest and the COVID pandemic in India, as reported by The Wire.
The current FIR purportedly has its roots in an August report by the New York Times. The Wire had reported how BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had cited the report in the Lok Sabha to claim that Congress leaders and NewsClick had received funds from China to create an “anti-India” atmosphere. The Press Club of India has registered concern at the raids and noted that it will be releasing a detailed statement.