Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Oct 20: The judicial custody of NewsClick’s founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty was extended till October 25, 2023, by the Patiala House Court of Delhi on Friday.
At the earlier court session, which concluded on Friday, Purkayastha and Chakravarty were remanded for ten days to judicial custody. Today, the judicial custody was prolonged by five days by Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur.
Earlier on Thursday, the Supreme Court took action by serving a notice to the Delhi police on Thursday in response to pleas filed by Purkayastha, and Chakraborty. These pleas challenge their arrests under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with allegations of receiving Chinese funding for the purpose of promoting content deemed as anti-national propaganda.
A bench consisting of Justices PK Mishra and BR Gavai scheduled a hearing for October 30 after asking Delhi Police to respond.
In the case, both individuals had been apprehended by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on October 3.
For allegedly receiving money to propagate pro-China propaganda, the two have a case filed against them under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The news portal allegedly received significant funding from China in order to “disrupt the sovereignty of India” and incite discontent with the nation, according to the FIR.
The allegation further stated that Purkayastha was involved in a conspiracy with the People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) to disrupt the electoral proceedings during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
