Delhi Police Special Cell Questions Journalists in NewsClick Funding Case

The Special Cell of Delhi Police has conducted a second round of questioning with at least eight journalists and contributors associated with NewsClick, an online news portal. The interrogation is part of a case filed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), concerning alleged funding from China. This information was shared by unnamed sources on October 6.

Details of the Investigation

The individuals were summoned to the office of the Special Cell in New Delhi during the afternoon and their questioning continued till late evening, according to a source within Delhi Police. Earlier this week, Prabir Purkayastha, founder and editor-in-chief of NewsClick, along with Amit Chakravarty, head of human resources department at NewsClick were arrested following extensive interrogations.

Before these arrests took place, as many as 46 journalists and contributors linked to the news portal had been questioned. Their mobile phones and other electronic gadgets were seized for further investigation. After this initial round of inquiry on Tuesday, investigators had requested those interrogated to appear again for a follow-up session.

Continued Interrogation

The police source stated that around eight to ten individuals connected with the case are being questioned every day as part of ongoing investigations. Journalists Urmilesh and Abhisar Sharma along with some others faced another round of questioning on Thursday.

In addition to them, senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta was also called in for repeated questioning on Friday after his first round earlier in the week. Guha Thakurta confirmed this development over phone but did not provide any additional details about his interaction with law enforcement officials or potential implications related to it.

Implications and Conclusion

This series of events represents an escalating situation where media professionals are being scrutinized under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The allegations of foreign funding, specifically from China, add a layer of complexity to this case. While the Delhi Police's Special Cell continues its investigation, the impact on NewsClick and its operations remains uncertain.

The arrest of NewsClick's founder and editor-in-chief along with the head of human resources department has already sent shockwaves through India's journalism fraternity. The extended questioning sessions for multiple journalists associated with the portal underline an intense examination process that could potentially affect their professional standing and personal lives.

As these investigations proceed further, it will be crucial to observe how they shape public perception about media independence in India as well as influence future legal proceedings related to news organizations in general. It is equally important for law enforcement agencies to ensure that their actions uphold principles of freedom of press while dealing with such sensitive cases.