India’s top court has NewsClick editor arrested in Chinese funding case | Press Freedom News

Prabir Purkayastha was arrested last year after a New York Times report alleged that his branch was receiving funding from a network that peddled Chinese propaganda.

India’s Supreme Court says the arrest of NewsClick website founder and editor Prabir Purkayastha last year under a tough anti-terrorism law was unlawful and has ordered his release on bail.

Purkayastha was arrested in October, nearly two months after a New York Times report alleged that his English-language news website was financially supported by a network promoting Chinese propaganda.

The 75-year-old journalist was charged with receiving foreign funds and criminal conspiracy and arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), a strict anti-terrorism law that makes bail virtually impossible.

The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that Purkayastha’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, India’s financial crimes agency, was unlawful because it had not given him written reasons for the detention.

Judges BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta declared his arrest “invalid” and said he should be released subject to bail. The top court said its decision on Purkayastha’s detention did not constitute a statement on the merits of the ongoing case against him.

“A good day for independent media!” said NewsClick in a post on X, welcoming Purkayastha’s release.

A good day for independent media!#PrabirPurkayastha #NewsClick pic.twitter.com/e3h5AoMtDP

— NewsClick (@newsclickin) May 15, 2024

NewsClick, with an independent and critical focus on India’s “progressive movements”, was founded in 2009 by Purkayastha, who was previously arrested in 1975 during the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Last year, The New York Times reported that NewsClick was funded by US millionaire Neville Roy Singham. The report said the website “peppered its coverage with Chinese government talking points” – claims that Singham and NewsClick have denied.

The report also accused Singham of working closely with China – the common enemy of India and the US – and “financing its propaganda worldwide”.

Relations between New Delhi and Beijing have been strained due to a long-running border dispute that escalated into a deadly clash between their troops in the Himalayas in 2020, bringing diplomacy between the two nations to a standstill.

In 2021, ED officials raided NewsClick office and Purkayastha’s residence for the first time on suspicion of money laundering and foreign financing. During the raid, the news website had extensively reported on the massive protests by Indian farmers against the government.

However, no arrests were made in that raid and authorities said their investigation into the media company is continuing.

In October last year, the ED again raided the NewsClick office and homes of nearly 80 journalists and others associated with the New Delhi-based outfit. Computers and cell phones belonging to its employees and independent authors who wrote for the company were confiscated.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government said the raids were justified as foreign funding of the media groups needed to be probed by investigative agencies. “If someone has committed something wrong, the search agencies are free to investigate,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur had told reporters after the raids.

But media watchdogs and rights groups said the raids were part of a government assault on press freedom since Modi came to power in 2014. He is seeking a third term in the ongoing multi-phase national elections.

Last year, Indian tax authorities also raided the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai shortly after the British broadcaster released a documentary critical of Modi. Dozens of Indian journalists critical of the Hindu nationalist government have complained of increased harassment, including on social media – where the ruling BJP party has a strong presence.

India fell to 159th in the World Press Freedom Index 2024, an annual ranking by the nonprofit Reporters Without Borders, a slight improvement from 161st place last year.