Indian authorities have formally charged Chinese smartphone manufacturers Xiaomi Corp and Vivo Mobile with assisting in the illegal transfer of funds to a news portal currently under investigation for spreading Chinese propaganda, according to documents released on Friday.
A spokesperson from Xiaomi India vehemently denied the accusation, while a representative from Vivo did not respond immediately to repeated requests for comment. The news portal in question, NewsClick, has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the past.
Media rights organizations and opposition groups in India have contended that the investigation into NewsClick and related allegations represent a broader crackdown on the press, a charge the government has dismissed.
The formal allegations were detailed in a police complaint filed on August 17. This complaint was shared with legal representatives for individuals named in the complaint on Friday, following recent raids on NewsClick’s New Delhi office and the homes of journalists, as well as the subsequent arrests of its founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha and a senior administrative official.
The police complaint, seen by Reuters, accuses NewsClick’s Purkayastha of conspiring with an obscure voluntary organization to undermine India’s sovereignty and incite disaffection. It alleges that substantial funds were received from China as part of this scheme to disseminate biased news critical of Indian policies and projects while defending Chinese policies and programs.
Furthermore, the complaint asserts that major Chinese telecommunications companies, including Xiaomi and Vivo, established thousands of shell companies in India, violating the country’s foreign currency laws to illegally inject foreign funds into India in furtherance of this conspiracy.
A senior police officer confirmed the authenticity of the document and acknowledged that it contained allegations against these two companies.
The spokesperson for Xiaomi India responded, stating, “We have no knowledge about this. We strongly deny the said allegation against Xiaomi in the FIR [First Information Report],” referring to the police complaint formally known as FIR in India. The spokesperson added, “Xiaomi conducts its business operations with utmost respect to, and in strict compliance with applicable laws. Any allegation of conspiracy is completely baseless.”
Both Xiaomi and Vivo are prominent smartphone brands in India.
The police document did not provide further details regarding the source of this information, present evidence of the companies’ involvement, or outline the steps authorities were considering taking.
NewsClick recently stated that it does not publish news or information at the behest of any Chinese entity or authority. Its legal representatives have challenged the complaint in the Delhi High Court.
China has repeatedly dismissed accusations of interference in India and called on New Delhi to create a fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies.
India-China relations have been strained since a deadly military clash along their disputed Himalayan border in 2020, which resulted in casualties on both sides. While border tensions have somewhat diminished following multiple rounds of military and diplomatic talks, India has emphasized that normalization of relations requires complete disengagement and de-escalation.
By Reuters
