Newsclick row: Court seeks Delhi police response on Prabir Purkayastha's plea for seeking copy of FIR

New Delhi [India], October 4 : The Patiala House Court of Delhi on Wednesday sought a response from Delhi Police on a plea moved by Founder and Editor-in-Chief of NewsClick, Prabir Purkayastha and Human Resources Head Amit Chakravarty for supplying a copy of First Information Report to them.
Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur issued notice to Delhi Police and listed the matter for Thursday after noting that the Delhi Police's Special Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava is not present.
However, the Court on the request of the Accused lawyers, agreed to give them the order copy and remand plea moved by Delhi Police while taking the seven days remand of Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakravarty.
Advocate Arshdeep Singh Khurana who appeared for Prabir Purkayastha requested the Court to supply of FIR so that the accused/applicant can move Delhi High Court for legal remedies available to them.
Meanwhile, the Court allowed Prabir Purkayastha's lawyers to meet him one hour daily during the remand period.
Earlier this morning, the Court allowed the Delhi Police remand plea and sent the founder and Editor-in-Chief of NewsClick, Prabir Purkayastha and Human Resources Head Amit Chakravarty to seven days of police remand on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the Delhi Police arrested two persons including founder and Editor-in-Chief of NewsClick Prabir Purkayastha after questioning them in their office following raids at his premises under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other sections, the police officials said.
According to the Delhi Police, a total of 37 male suspects have been questioned at the premises, and nine female suspects have been questioned at their respective places of stay.
"Regarding the search, seizure and detentions carried out today in connection with a UAPA case registered with Special Cell, so far two accused, Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakravarty have been arrested. A total of 37 male suspects have been questioned at the premises, and nine female suspects have been questioned at their respective places of stay," police said.
It further said that the digital devices, documents etc. have been seized and collected for examination.
The Editor-in-Chief of NewsClick, Prabir Purkayastha and writers Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Urmilesh were brought to the special cell offices in the national capital as part of the investigation as Delhi Police launched a crackdown against NewsClick and its journalists earlier this morning in connection with an FIR registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Delhi Police's Special Cell on Tuesday afternoon sealed the office of the online news portal in the national capital.
The raids were carried out at more than 30 locations in connection with a case registered on August 17 under UAPA and other sections of IPC, including 153A (promoting enmity between two groups), and 120 B (criminal conspiracy).
Earlier, on August 10, a report in the New York Times had alleged that NewsClick was part of a global network that receives funding from American billionaire Neville Roy Singham. Singham is known as a socialist benefactor of far-left causes and is at the centre of a lavishly funded influence campaign that defends China and pushes its propaganda.
Singham is also said to have close ties with the Chinese Government's media machines.