above tweets are false
On Tuesday, India awoke to the Delhi police conducting raids on the premises of Newsclick’s founder and its journalists, alongside others who posed as ‘consultants.’ Historically, government agency raids on news agencies have consistently been decried as acts of tyranny and attempts to stifle freedom of speech. This universally recognized pattern has provided a cover for alleged journalists and news organizations engaging in questionable activities, all while cloaking themselves in the mantle of media freedom. On this occasion, the response from Newsclick journalists and associates echoed a familiar refrain, insinuating that the raids were a consequence of their unyielding stance against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian industrialist Gautam Adani.
X user with communist leanings, Nayani Anurag Reddy, wrote, “Why isn’t sovereignty considered when examining Chinese ties with Adani?’ Over a dozen NewsClick journalists’ homes raided, mobile phones, laptops seized amid China funding dispute Okay, understandable! But why hasn’t Adani faced a single raid or investigation, despite a clear link to China through Chang Chien-Ting? Why is Modi Govt making an exception, allowing Adani to operate ports in India against its own policy to prevent Chinese firms? Is Modi Govt signaling that Adani enjoys special privileges, fostering connections with China while others face scrutiny?”
Another X user, Fiza wrote, “Even if it is assumed that NewsClick has taken funding from China,then why was there no police raid on the PM Care Fund? If such arrests have been made under UAP. Chinese national, Chang Chien-Ting the owner of PMC Infra Ltd,company funded in major Adani infrastructure in India.”
Amidst the cacophony raised by both communists and liberals concerning the recent raid, it is imperative to sift through the clamor to distinguish voice from the noise and fact from the fiction. Hence, let us now delve into the concrete details that transpired the morning raids conducted by the Delhi Police.
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NewsClick first attracted the attention of central investigative agencies as far back as 2021, when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated an inquiry into alleged money laundering activities connected to the news outlet. As reported by The Times of India, the ED’s investigation revealed that between 2018 and 2021, the founders and promoters of NewsClick had received a sum of 38 crore from a Sri Lankan-Cuban businessman named Nevile Roy Singham. Sources within the ED also verified to TOI that Singham had affiliations with the Communist Party of China.
Now, the question arises: what motivated the acceptance of funds from an individual associated with a nation deemed adversarial? Shedding light on this issue, The Times of India disclosed that the funds were allocated to NewsClick with the objective of burnishing China’s global image and its engagement in Africa. Additionally, these funds were intended to serve as a defense of the Chinese government’s actions, including its crackdown on a prominent Chinese billionaire. For those versed in global politics, it is evident that the Chinese government has been widely criticized for employing debt-trap tactics, often likened to loan shark practices. Thus, NewsClick found itself in the position of not only extolling China’s development but also endorsing its controversial debt-trap policies.
Moreover, Prabir Purkyastha, the founder and editor-in-chief of Newsclick, maintained regular communication with members of the Chinese Communist Party. Notably, Mr. Purkyastha appeared to possess knowledge concerning the whereabouts of Nevile Roy Singham, indirectly suggesting that Singham had relocated to China during the pandemic due to his perception of it being a “safer.’
Subsequently, the Enforcement Directorate’s inquiry advanced, culminating in the attachment of a residence in New Delhi’s Saket area on August 9, 2023. This property was linked to Prabir Purkayastha, the editor-in-chief of NewsClick, as part of the ongoing money laundering investigation surrounding the news portal. Concurrently, the agency is anticipated to file a formal charge sheet in this case. Notably, these developments align with an earlier report from The Times of India in 2021, and were also corroborated by a report from the renowned US media outlet, The New York Times.
However, the situation gained significant attention when the Delhi Police began to suspect potential involvement in terrorism by the founder of NewsClick. As reported by Hindustan Times, the recent actions taken by the authorities stem from a case filed on August 17. This case invokes the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, along with Sections 153A (inciting animosity between groups) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
Following the events of August 17, the Delhi Police meticulously devised a plan to unearth any potentially anti-national activities associated with Newsclick. As reported by The Times of India, subsequent to the invocation of UAPA charges against Newsclick, the Delhi Police initiated covert operations, encompassing both technical and financial facets of their investigation. The Delhi Police Commissioner, in conversation with TOI, disclosed that the investigative team had pursued the trail of Chinese involvement.
Furthermore, The Times of India detailed the categorization of suspects into three distinct groups: A, B, and C. Among the identified individuals were Newsclick’s editor-in-chief, Prabir Purkayastha, and HR representative Amit Chakraborty, in addition to four other suspects. Category C was allotted for the consultants related to the media agency. A dedicated force of approximately 400-450 police officers was assigned to this endeavor, with 8 to 10 officers specifically tasked with overseeing suspects in Category A. In total, a series of 50 raids were carried out during the early hours of Tuesday morning as part of this operation.
Social media users should exercise caution before attributing ulterior motives to this operation, particularly in linking it to figures such as Adani and PM Modi. When discussing sensitive issues such as police investigations into financial dealings originating from a foreign nation, it is paramount to rely on accurate information. The viral claims suggesting that the raids on Newsclick were instigated solely due to criticism of Gautam Adani or any other individual are unequivocally false, deceptive, and devoid of substantiated basis. As we trace back the genesis of these raids to 2021, a time when the Adani-Hindenburg topic was not a focal point, it becomes evident that these actions were fundamentally concerned with the nation’s social security, integrity, and sovereignty.
In a democratic society, the freedom of the press is a cherished and constitutionally protected right. However, this freedom must operate within the bounds of the law and uphold the principles of journalistic ethics. It is imperative to afford investigative agencies the space to carry out their work impartially and professionally, free from unwarranted name-calling and undue interference. There is no doubt that the dissemination of baseless rumors and misinformation serves only to erode the credibility of journalistic ethics and the broader discourse.
| Claim | The recent Newsclick raids and founder’s arrest are seen as politically motivated due to their previous criticisms of Indian businessman Gautam Adani. |
| Claimed by | social media users |
| Fact Check | False and Misleading |
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