Witch-hunting
Anusha Paul, a former employee of the news portal who lives close to Kodumon in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta, was subjected to a raid by the Delhi Police, which has launched a fierce campaign against NewsClick. Her laptop and phone were reportedly seized for examination as part of the investigation into alleged funding from China.
According to news agency, Paul told reporters on Friday that a three-person squad of the Delhi Police recorded her testimony and seized computer gadgets. She was reportedly questioned about her connections to NewsClick and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The journalist stated that she was asked whether she covered protests by farmers, those against the National
Register of Citizens-Citizenship Amendment Act (NRC-CAA), or those regarding the COVID-19 management of the Center.
“This is a witch hunt to threaten the organization and its employees who used to raise voices against the Narendra Modi government and the RSS,” Paul was quoted.
Paul remained in Kerala as a close family member underwent medical care. She continued by saying that the Delhi Police had questioned her based on her familiarity with CPI (M) Delhi State Secretary KM Tiwari.
Yes, I am aware of him. I said it to them. He serves as the CPI’s state secretary. I work for CPI (M). She said I serve as the state treasurer and a member of the state committee for the Democratic Youth Federation of India’s (DYFI) Delhi chapter.
However, Paul asserted that the Kerala Police were not a part of the raiding force. On Tuesday night, the Delhi Police’s Special Cell detained 46 journalists and contributors to the online news portal after questioning them and seizing their mobile phones and other electronic devices. They included NewsClick’s founder and editor-in-chief, Prabir Purkayastha, and the head of the department in charge of human resources, Amit Chakravarty.
