NewsClick rejects allegations levelled in FIR against it as untenable, bogus

NewsClick rejects Delhi Police's FIR alleging foreign funds from China to disrupt India's sovereignty. It claims no funding or instructions from China, and has full faith in the judicial system. Police arrested NewsClick founder and HR head, and are likely to question 10 people named in the FIR.

The NewsClick portal has rejected as untenable and bogus allegations levelled in a Delhi Police FIR against it, and said the proceedings initiated are "nothing but a blatant attempt to muzzle the free and independent press in India".

In an FIR filed under anti-terror law UAPA against NewsClick, the Delhi Police has alleged a large sum of funds came from China to disrupt India's sovereignty and cause disaffection against the country as part of a "larger criminal conspiracy".

It claimed the foreign fund was fraudulently infused by Neville Roy Singham, an active member of the propaganda department of the Communist Party of China.The Delhi Police served a copy of the FIR to the portal on Friday.

In a statement issued on X on Friday night, the portal said, "The NewsClick has not received any funding or instructions from China or Chinese entities. Further, NewsClick has never committed or sought to encourage violence, secession or any illegal act in any manner whatsoever.

"A perusal of NewsClick's coverage, which is freely available online, should be sufficient to indicate the veracity of NewsClick’s claims."

It said that NewsClick has full faith in the judicial system of the country and is confident that its stand will be vindicated.

On Monday, the Delhi Police arrested NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and its HR head Amit Chakravarty after raids at nearly 88 locations related to premises of portal and its journalists.