Supreme Court orders release of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha
After considering NewsClick Editor Prabir Purkayastha’s plea challenging his arrest by Delhi Police in a case involving the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered his release.
Because a copy of the remand application was not given at the time of the arrest, the court annulled the arrest and detention, in violation of the ruling made by the Supreme Court in Pankaj Bansal’s case. In the Pankaj Bansal ruling, the court ordered that anyone who is arrested be supplied with a copy of the remand application so that he knows why he was detained and can defend himself.
The court said “Though we would have released him without surety, but since chargesheet has been filed, we release him with surety and bail bond.”
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The decision was rendered by a bench consisting of Justices Sandeep Mehta and BR Gavai.
“The arrest, subsequent remand order of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha are declared to be invalid in eyes of law,” said the SC bench.
The news portal NewsClick is alleged to have accepted a substantial payment to promote propaganda favoring China through its stories.
Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty were arrested on October 3
Following allegations that the portal received funding for pro-China propaganda, the Delhi police arrested NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty on October 3, after searching more than thirty locations and questioned several journalists in a case that was filed under the anti-terror law UAPA.
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Police sealed NewsClick’s office in Delhi, officials said, adding 46 suspects were questioned and digital devices, including laptops and mobile phones, and documents were taken away for examination.
They stated that nine female suspects were questioned at their separate places of stay, while 37 male suspects were questioned at the Delhi Police Special Cell office.
The Delhi Police Special Cell had last year registered a case under sections 13, 16, 17, 18 and 22 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act along with sections 153A and 120B of the IPC in the matter.
But Chakroborty changed his role as approver in the case at the end of last year, and a Delhi court approved it. The Delhi High Court issued a discharge order for him on May 6.
