8,000-page charge sheet filed in NewsClick case, founder Prabir Purkayastha named as accused

Mr Purkayastha was arrested in October last year.

New Delhi::

Delhi Police on Saturday filed the first chargesheet of around 8,000 pages in the UAPA case, accusing NewsClick and its founder Prabir Purkayastha of allegedly promoting Chinese propaganda, including him and the company that owns the company. The portal’s company is named as a defendant.

The final report was submitted by the Delhi Police Special Cell before Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur.

According to special public prosecutors Akhand Pratap Singh and Suraj Rathi, the chargesheet names Mr. Purkayastha and PPK NEWSCLICK Studio Private Limited as accused.

Court sources said the charge sheet, including attachments, ran to more than 8,000 pages. The matter was set for further hearing on April 16.

The court granted extension of time to Delhi Police to file charge sheet, first in December last year and then in February this year. Then, on March 20, it again extended the time required to submit the final report by 10 days, after taking note of the prosecutor’s comments.

Section 43 D of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) extends the time required to complete an investigation from 90 days to a maximum of 180 days.

The Delhi Police Special Cell registered a case last year under Sections 13, 16, 17, 18 and 22 of the UAPA and Sections 153A (promoting enmity between groups) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

It also arrested NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty on October 3, 2023.

In January this year, this Court allowed Mr Chakravarty’s application for court approval to become an approver.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)