The Delhi police has named Delhi-based lawyer and writer Gautam Bhatia in the First Information Report (FIR) against NewsClick. On Tuesday, October 3, the police arrested journalist and NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, after conducting raids at the homes and offices of several persons associated with the news outlet. Prabir, who is also the editor-in-chief of NewsClick, has been accused of "spreading Chinese propaganda" through his news platform.
The FIR said that Gautam Bhatia was a “key person” who conspired to create a legal community network in India to campaign for and put up “spirited defense” of legal cases against Chinese telecom companies Xiaomi and Vivo in return for benefits. However, the FIR does not specify the alleged crime committed by the lawyer.
Read: UAPA case against NewsClick founder Prabir: Legal experts say FIR lacks specifics
The police alleged that Xiaomi and Vivo incorporated thousands of shell companies in India in violation of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and the Foreign Exchange Management Act in order to illegally infuse foreign funds in India. Along with Gautam Bhatia, the FIR alleged, writer Geeta Hariharan too has defended legal cases against Xiaomi and Vivo.
A case was registered against NewsClick in August this year, soon after The New York Times published a story alleging that NewsClick had received funds from a network related to American millionaire Neville Roy Singham to spread “Chinese propaganda.”
The FIR named Prabir Purkayastha, activist Gautam Navlakha, and Neville Roy Singham as accused in the case. They have been booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, including unlawful activities, terrorism, raising funds for terrorism, conspiracy, and threatening witnesses, along with section 153A (promoting enmity) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
The Delhi police claimed that activist Gautam Navlakha, who is currently under house arrest, was a shareholder in NewsClick. The FIR said that Prabir Purkayastha, Nevile Roy Singham, Gautam Navlakha, and their known and unknown associates “have been involved in continuous, unlawful activities, which include undermining India's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”
The FIR alleged that NewsClick, “since its inception in the year 2018, remained involved in anti-Indian and unlawful activities”such as actively supporting banned Naxal organisations and having an anti-national nexus with Gulam Nabi Fai who is an agent of ISI of Pakistan.” It said that the police possesses “secret inputs” that allegedly revealed that Prabir Purkayastha, Nevile Roy Singham, and Chinese employees of StarStream, a company allegedly owned by Singham, have exchanged emails exposing their intent to show Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as part not of India.
Accusing NewsClick of conspiring against India, the FIR alleged, “In furtherance of this conspiracy to disrupt the sovereignty of India and to cause disaffection against India, large amount of funds were routed from China in circuitous and camouflaged manner and paid news were intentionally peddled criticising domestic policies, development projects of India, and promoting, projecting, and defending policies and programmes of the Chinese government.” The police alleged that crores of rupees were given to NewsClick for “intentionally peddling these false narratives.”