Hearing a petition by NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and the outfit’s HR head Amit Chakraborty against their arrest in a UAPA case, the Delhi High Court sought the Delhi police’s response on Friday, according to a LiveLaw report. The court will hear the matter again on Monday.
Purkayastha and Chakraborty have challenged their arrest, the UAPA case against the portal, as well as the trial court order which granted their seven-day police custody. Purkayastha approached the high court a day after the Patiala House Court told the police to share a copy of the FIR with him. The police had opposed Purkayastha’s plea seeking the same.
On Friday, Purkayastha’s counsel Kapil Sibal told the high court that the NewsClick founder was not informed of the grounds of the arrest, according to LiveLaw. He also said that the remand was granted without hearing Purkayastha’s lawyer and without considering his response.
“What is happening to our courts? No grounds of arrest are given to me. The HC rules say I am entitled to counsel. The rules further say that if the 24 hours are expiring then a temporary remand be issued so that the counsel can appear. No such order has been passed and he is remanded,” Sibal said, as per Bar and Bench.
The court, meanwhile, observed that the allegations against Purkayastha and Chakraborty didn't seem to be of such a nature that they could be released immediately.
Chakraborty’s counsel submitted that his client is physically challenged. The court then told the police to ensure that his medical condition is not compromised.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on behalf of the police, sought time until Monday to file a response. He also said that the case diaries will be placed before the court.
Purkayastha and Chakraborty were arrested on October 4. The UAPA case had been filed against NewsClick in August after The New York Times alleged the news site was among Chinese propaganda outlets funded by American tech mogul Neville Roy Singham. In the run up to the arrests, the Delhi police raided over 30 locations and questioned more than 35 journalists. Their electronic devices were also seized.
The Delhi police’s FIR against NewsClick claims that “big Chinese telecom companies like Xiaomi, Vivo” purportedly “incorporated thousands of shell companies in India” – and that one “Gautam Bhatia” is a “key person” in the matter. Read all about it here.
The media outlet denied all the allegations and slammed the police action, calling it an attempt to “stifle fearless voices”. Earlier this week, 16 press groups also wrote to the Chief Justice of India, demanding that the “increasingly repressive use” of investigating agencies against the media be stopped.
Newslaundry also reported on the events that unfolded amid the police raid on journalists. A former NewsClick journalist told us that his laptop, phone, passbooks and property documents were seized, even though the police’s search warrant “was not in my name”. Read our report here.
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