Delhi HC grants anticipatory bail to ‘NewsClick’ founder Prabir Purkayastha in foreign funding case
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha in an alleged foreign funding violations case filed against him and the news portal by the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police and the Enforcement Directorate, Live Law reported.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna also granted anticipatory bail to NewsClick’s director Pranjal Pandey in the Economic Offences Wing case.
In June 2021, the court had granted Purkayastha interim protection from arrest in the matter, which has since been extended periodically.
The case pertains to a first information report registered by the Delhi Police in August 2020 against NewsClick for allegedly violating Foreign Direct Investment norms. The Enforcement Directorate also initiated an investigation into the matter after taking cognisance of the Delhi Police’s FIR.
In February 2021, the central agency conducted raids at the Newsclick office and Purkayastha’s home based on the allegations levelled by the Delhi Police. However, no arrests were made during the raids at that time.
In October 2023, the Delhi Police had raided the NewsClick office, along with the residences of nearly 80 journalists and other individuals associated with the portal. Purkayastha was arrested on the same day as the raids.
These raids were linked to another case filed against the news outlet under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act by the Delhi Police on March 2024, which alleged that it had received funds through Chinese entities “with the...
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