The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted searches at two locations of NewsClick, including its office, in the national capital on Wednesday, October 11. A CBI source told IANS that the agency is probing allegations of violating foreign funding rules under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) against NewsClick. The source said that the CBI is also carrying out searches at the premises of NewsClick and its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayashtha in the national capital and that it will soon begin its probe.
The development comes days after the Delhi Police's Special Cell carried out searches at multiple locations in the national capital, including the premises of NewsClick and journalists associated with it in connection with a case registered under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
On October 3, Delhi police raided the houses of several people with connections to NewsClick, including stand-up comic and political satirist Sanjay Rajoura, journalists Bhasha Singh and Prabir Purkayastha, and Abhisar Sharma of NewsClick, oral historian and activist Sohail Hashmi, writer Githa Hariharan, and senior journalists Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Urmilesh and Aunindyo Chakraborty. Later, in a statement regarding the search, seizure and detentions carried out in connection with the UAPA case registered by the Special Cell, the Delhi Police had said that a total of 37 male suspects were questioned at office premises, while nine female suspects were questioned at their respective places of stay. The police said that digital devices, documents, etc. were seized or collected for examination. Following the searches, the Special Cell arrested NewsClick founder Purkayastha and its HR head Amit Chakraborty, the same day.
The Special Cell had registered an FIR in the case on August 17 under different sections of the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code against NewsClick, soon after a New York Times investigation had accused NewsClick of being funded by a network linked with US millionaire Neville Roy Singham, to allegedly promote Chinese propaganda.