NewsClick row: HR chief pursues court approval to turn state witness
NewsClick row: Amit Chakravarty, the head of the human resources department at NewsClick, has taken a significant legal step by approaching a Delhi court, seeking authorisation to become a government witness in a case centered on alleged violations of the anti-terror law UAPA. This case revolves around accusations directed at the online news portal, claiming it received funds with the purported intention of propagating pro-China content.
Chakravarty filed this request on Saturday (December 23) before Special Judge Hardeep Kaur, earnestly seeking pardon within the context of this case. He asserts that he possesses crucial information that could be instrumental for the ongoing investigation by the Delhi Police. His plea indicates a willingness to divulge this pertinent information to aid the authorities in their inquiries.
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Acknowledging the gravity of Chakravarty's plea, the judge has scheduled a session before a magisterial court to facilitate the recording of Chakravarty's statement.This development follows the earlier arrest of Chakravarty and Prabir Purkayastha, the founder of NewsClick, by the Delhi Police on October 1. These arrests ensued subsequent to police raids conducted at the residences of various journalists and employees associated with the online portal, all connected to the UAPA case. The court had previously remanded the two accused individuals to judicial custody until December 22.
Earlier actions by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) involved searches conducted at NewsClick's premises to investigate the sources of its financial backing. Acting on information provided by the central agency, the Special Cell continued these searches. In a report released in August, The New York Times revealed that NewsClick allegedly received approximately Rs 38 crore in funding from Neville Roy Singham, an American millionaire with suspected ties to the propaganda division of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
As the legal proceedings unfold, Chakravarty's move to seek witness status could potentially alter the course of the investigation, shedding light on critical aspects and deepening the inquiry into the allegations leveled against NewsClick.
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