On October 3, police officers raided the offices of independent Delhi-based news outlet NewsClick, confiscating equipment and questioning outlet staff and media workers. At least 30 homes of present and former outlet staff, journalists and contributors were similarly raided in New Delhi and Mumbai. In total, 46 suspects were questioned at both the outlet’s office and their residences, with electronic devices including laptops, mobile phones and hard drives seized, with police failing to provide seizure notices or declare what data had been taken, severely compromising both data privacy and source confidentiality. Following the raid, NewsClick's office was sealed by authorities.
NewsClick’s founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and human resources head and Polio survivor Amit Chakraborty were arrested on criminal conspiracy charges on the evening of October 3 under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Both journalists have been placed in police custody for at least seven days, with a First Information Report (FIR) alleging the pair had illegally accepted foreign funds for ’anti-national’ coverage and activities.
Police action is related to an August 17case registered against NewsClick, filed days after a New York Times (NYT) investigation alleged that the news portal had received funding from a network allegedly pushing Chinese propaganda.Quoting the NYT investigation in August, lawmakers with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have claimed NewsClick had collaborated with ‘anti-national’ forces and held an anti-India agenda. No evidence to back these allegations has been made public.
NewsClick, known for its criticism of the government at the centre, has been targeted by a series of actions by various agencies of the Government of India since 2021. Its offices and residences of journalists were raided by Indian authorities in September 2021 as part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion. In February, the offices of the British Broadcasting Corporation In New Delhi and Mumbai were raided by tax authorities following the airing of a documentary critical of Modi’s alleged inaction during the 2002 Gujarat Riots.
The IJU said, “While due process must apply in any case, the government should not be going on a witch hunt and misusing the laws and enforcement agencies to silence the media. We urge its members and the fraternity to do all to defend press freedom, gravely under threat.”
The IFJ said,“IFJ condemns the raids and arrests of the media workers and urges the Indian authorities to cease the harassment of NewsClick, and the outlet’s journalists, release those arrested, and calls on the authorities to ensure the freedom of speech and expression of journalists in India is upheld and protected.”