The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted raids at the offices of Newsclick.in — an independent media portal based in Delhi, along with the home of its editor-in-chief over foreign funding.
The organisation was founded in 2009 by Prabir Purkayastha, who is also the Editor-in-Chief. NewsClick is owned by PPK NEWSCLICK Studio Private Limited. The raids by ED were also conducted at Prabir's residence.
Confirming the news, anchor Abhisar Sharma, who hosts two YouTube programmes for NewsClick, tweeted:
ED raid at https://t.co/WK95HKtJzE 's office & Directors/Shareholders home since 10am this morning. @newsclickin . This is where I do my shows Bol ke lab aazaad hain tere and Newschakra
— Abhisar Sharma (@abhisar_sharma) February 9, 2021
DIGIPUB News India Foundation, which represents digital platforms, condemned the raids and asked the government to make clear why the news organisation was raided to begin with.
"NewsClick has always upheld the highest standards of journalistic integrity and speaking truth to power. Its commendable journalistic work seeking to hold power accountable speaks for itself. DIGIPUB News India Foundation believes that the ED raids on NewsClick, its editor and directors, is a clear attempt to suppress journalism critical of the government and its allies. Such use of state agencies to intimidate journalists and suppress adversarial journalism is detrimental to not only the freedom of the press, but also the very idea of democratic accountability. Everyone emerges poorer in the long run," the statement said.
The National Confederation of Human Rights Organizations (NCHRO)- Delhi chapter also condemned the raid. "It has been a tactic of the government to allege that the democratic voices are funded by “dubious” sources, the same thing they have said today after conducting the raid at Newsclick. Kerala journalist Siddiqque Kappan, who is also the secretary of the Delhi unit of Kerala Union of Working Journalists, was arrested and slapped with the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Kappan was going to Hathras to cover the brutal gang-rape that had taken place last year, and three other activists were also arrested with him. The government’s narrative in that case, too, has been that Kappan had been taking money from “dubious” and “foreign” sources.
Twitter users were quick to point out that the organisation was being hounded by the government for its critical reporting on the government's policies.
Modi government’s assault on media continues with ED raid on @newsclickin office, homes of owner Prabir Purkayastha and editor Pranjal, in Delhi. NewsClick was one of the last bastions of critical reporting on the government’s policies.
— Mohammad Ali (@hindureporter) February 9, 2021
ED raids on @newsclickin. Now you want to stifle and bend the independent, courageous journalists who work with utmost sincerity and honesty. Our voices shall not be oppressed. I stand with #Newsclick. I urge everyone to stand with independent and honest media.
— Atul Chandra (@AtulCha83952246) February 9, 2021
Enforcement Directorate raid at @newsclickin office is clearly an attempt by Modi govt to stifle freedom of press and critical journalism. #Newsclick is among the few media houses that dared 2 stand with truth & people’s movements amid the spreading tentacles of fascism in India.
— V Arun Kumar (@v_arun1990) February 9, 2021
ED raided Newsclick office because they have covering farmer protests and been reporting fearlessly. Gagging the press won't work. #standwithnewsclick#KisanEktaMorcha #FarmersStandingFirm #FarmersProtest #kisanandolan
— Diksha Lamba (@wanderress) February 9, 2021
Attacks on media continue. The office of news portal https://t.co/WCbzvlqJf5 in Delhi raided by ED, along with residences of founder Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha and Editor Pranjal.
— Akhil Bharathan (@akhil_bharathan) February 9, 2021
Newsclick has courageously covered protests by workers and farmers for many years now.
How BJP is using power to silence journalists & media houses! You are not doing anything about Arnab Goswami. His Whatsapp chat is publically available but no enquiry?
— Sumit (@sumitktr2) February 9, 2021
ED raid at media portal NewsClick office, house of editor-in-chief also raided: Report https://t.co/MuycavOYEz
Modi government’s assault on media continues with ED raid on @newsclickin office, homes of owner Prabir Purkayastha and editor Pranjal, in Delhi. NewsClick was one of the last bastions of critical reporting on the government’s policies.@KashifKakvi @abhisar_sharma @newsclickin
— Rishav Raj Singh (@catch_rishav) February 9, 2021
“The attack on media houses which are speaking up on recent issues, continues,” tweeted Aishe Ghosh, the president of the JNU Students’ Union.
The office of news portal #Newsclick in Delhi raided, along with residences of founder Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha and Editor Pranjal.
— Aishe (ঐশী) (@aishe_ghosh) February 9, 2021
The attack on media houses which are speaking up on recent issues, continues !
“NewsClick has, over the years, become one of India’s most consistent chroniclers of diverse people’s movements and struggles. NewsClick’s aim has always been to report, in depth, on news and views ignored by corporate media, whose agenda is dictated by the rich and powerful in the country,” the organisation’s website says.
PPK NEWSCLICK Studio Private Limited is a private company with a paid-up capital of Rs 10.83 lakh. It was incorporated on January 11, 2018 and deals in reproduction of recorded media. Prabir Purkayastha and Pranjal Pandey are listed as the Director and Additional Director of the company respectively.
This is a developing story