NewsClick row: Founder Prabir Purkayastha's judicial custody extended till Feb 17

CHENNAI: A Patiala House Court in Delhi extended NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha's judicial custody till February 17 in the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) case against him and Human Resources (HR) head Amit Chakraborty over allegations that their organisation received money to spread pro-China propaganda.

Earlier on January 22, the Supreme Court allowed news portal’s Human Resources (HR) head Amit Chakraborty to withdraw his plea challenging his arrest by the Delhi police.

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had arrested Purkayastha and Chakravarty on October 3 after concluding raids at around 88 locations in Delhi and seven in other states, including residences of journalists associated with the news portal.

They were charged with terrorism under different sections of the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code, while, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also conducted its searches on the firm's premises. A case under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) has also been filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The FIR, lodged in August last year, was registered days after The New York Times published a report and accused that the portal received money from American businessman Neville Roy Singham to allegedly promote Chinese propaganda.