NewsClick calls CBI FIR "bogus and trumped-up charges"

The fifth investigation into the news site for allegedly taking illicit cash from a US investor with a China address, the FIR filed by the CBI was characterized by NewsClick on Friday as including the "same bogus and trumped-up charges."

The anti-establishment portal released its most recent statement two days after the CBI searched its office and the residence of its imprisoned editor-in-chief. Delhi police had raided the portal's staff and associates last week in connection with an anti-terror investigation.

According to NewsClick, "These are the same allegations that have been made time and time again by different investigating agencies, and offences under different acts are being alleged by registering multiple FIRs."

"NewsClick has complied with legal requirements by reporting all funding to the relevant authorities through the proper banking channels."

NewsClick continued, "The Reserve Bank of India has confirmed this to the Economic Offenses Wing in proceedings before the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi."

The news source continued, "This is the seventh agency that the Central government has sent out to look into the same false accusations against NewsClick. This is a desperate attempt to shut down the news website, which has continuously shown the true face of India in its stories and spoken truth to power.

"It is remarkable that the Enforcement Directorate has not been able to submit a complaint against NewsClick during the previous two+ years, despite having access to all of the company's papers and accounts and having conducted a thorough and extensive interrogation of its Directors and workers.

The Delhi Police's Economic Offenses Wing was unable to bring charges against NewsClick for violations of the Indian Penal Code. The FIR under UAPA is unworkable and fraudulent, and the Income Tax Department has not been able to justify its conduct in court.

The website's owner, PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt. Ltd., NewsClick editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha, US investors Neville Roy Singham and Jason Pfetcher, and other unidentified individuals are named as defendants in the CBI's Foreign Contributions Regulatory Act-registered FIR.

The Union home ministry filed the first information report (FIR), which The Telegraph was able to view, on October 7. The FCRA of 2010 is allegedly violated by PPK NewsClick, which is accused of obtaining "unexplained export remittance of Rs 28.46 Crore from four foreign entities." Additionally, in violation of the FCRA Act of 2010, M/s Worldwide Media Holdings LLC invested Rs. 9.59 Crore through foreign direct investment in PPK Newsclik.

Purkayastha, Pfetcher, and Singham are charged with violating Section 3(1) of the FCRA, which forbids news organizations and journalists from accepting foreign contributions, by allegedly introducing "opaque foreign fund" into PPK NewsClick.

Earnings in lieu of products sold or services provided to a foreign client are excluded under the Act's definition of "foreign contributions."

Singham and Pfetcher are identified as “active members” and “close associates” of the Communist Party of China, respectively, in the formal complaint filed by the special cell of the Delhi police under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which prohibits terrorism.

Pfetcher, the management of Worldwide Media Holdings (WMH), had released a statement following Purkayastha and NewsClick HR head Amit Chakraborty's arrest in which he denied any misconduct.

He had stated: "WMH has confirmed to the Indian authorities where the money from WMH's investment in NewsClick came from when they asked." Despite incorrect information circulating that WMH was a defunct organization when it invested in NewsClick, WMH has also produced substantial documentation that it is and has always been in good standing with the state of Delaware where it is incorporated.

NewsClick tweeted, "While disappointed by the Delhi High Court verdict, NewsClick reiterates that the arrest of our Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha and admin officer Amit Chakraborty was illegal and in violation of due procedure," following the court's dismissal of pleas from Purkayastha and the wheelchair-bound Chakraborty challenging their arrest and remand. To explore our legal options, we are now reviewing the court's ruling.

The case is unique in India since it makes use of the anti-terror law to raid the houses of numerous journalists and activists at the same time and confiscate their family members' electronic gadgets.