Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakraborty did not get relief in Newsclick case, police custody extended further

In a complaint filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act (UAPA), the court placed NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and head of the HR department Amit Chakraborty in police prison until November 2. “NewsClick” is charged with accepting payments to disseminate propaganda favoring China.

Following their 15-day judicial incarceration, both were produced before Patiala House Court’s Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur. The police informed the judge that they intended to have certain witnesses and the accused sit down for face-to-face questioning. Since data has been recovered following examination, he also needs information regarding some of the equipment that was discovered from both of them. He ought to spend nine days in his custody as a result.

Arshdeep Singh Khurana, Purkayastha’s attorney, objected to the arrest, claiming there was no fresh evidence. Having heard all sides, the judge placed the accused in police custody for a period of nine days. On October 3, the police’s special cell had taken Purkayastha and Chakraborty into custody. He then petitioned the court to place both of them under police custody, then on October 10 he requested that the court place them under judicial custody. will be arrested once more for additional interrogation. On Wednesday, he brought them both into his custody in the same order.

During the hearing, police informed the court that NewsClick was allegedly receiving substantial funds from China with the intention of “disrupting the sovereignty of India” and inciting discontent against the nation. Additionally, the news outlet claims that Purkayastha planned to obstruct the 2019 Lok Sabha elections alongside the People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS). He’s a Chinese national.