New Delhi – In a significant development, the Indian police executed a series of raids on Tuesday, targeting the premises of a news portal and the residences of journalists and writers affiliated with it. These actions were initiated as part of an investigation delving into the alleged receipt of illicit foreign funding by the media company, according to two government officials privy to the matter.
Notably, laptops and mobile phones were confiscated as evidence in connection with this inquiry, which centers on NewsClick, a prominent media entity. One of the officials, under the purview of the Interior Ministry overseeing the raids conducted by the Delhi Police, shed light on the operation’s objectives. “A special investigations team launched a search operation to identify all those individuals who were possibly getting funds from overseas to run a media group with the main agenda of spreading foreign propaganda,” the official stated.
These raids form part of a broader investigation led by the Enforcement Directorate, India’s financial crime agency, into potential money laundering activities linked to NewsClick, the same official revealed.
The scope of these actions extended beyond the news portal’s office, as another ministry official disclosed that they were carried out at over a dozen residences belonging to journalists and other writers associated with NewsClick.
It is noteworthy that, as of the latest update, no arrests have been made, and the search operations remain ongoing, as confirmed by a second official. Both officials requested anonymity due to their lack of authorization to communicate with the media. In response, a Delhi Police spokesperson refrained from commenting, citing their current inability to do so.
NewsClick’s representatives were not immediately reachable for comment. Their website describes the organization as an independent media outlet established in 2009, with a dedicated focus on reporting news from India and beyond, particularly emphasizing “progressive movements.”
The genesis of this investigation traces back to an August report by The New York Times, which implicated NewsClick in a global network allegedly receiving funds from American billionaire Neville Roy Singham for the purported dissemination of Chinese propaganda. In response, NewsClick’s founder, Prabir Purkayastha, reiterated that these allegations were not novel and asserted the organization’s intent to address them through legal channels.
In light of these developments, the Press Club of India expressed deep concerns about the implications of these raids on press freedom.
India’s standing in the World Press Freedom Index, an annual ranking by the non-profit organization Reporters Without Borders, has notably declined, currently resting at 150th place, down from 140th in the preceding year. This marks its lowest ranking to date. In response, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has contested the findings, questioning the methodology employed by the group and asserting India’s vibrant and unrestricted press landscape.
