Editor and Administrator of Independent News Site Arrested in New Delhi Following Raids

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New Delhi, India – In a significant development, the editor and an administrator of a prominent independent news website have been apprehended by New Delhi police. The arrests took place after a series of raids on the residences of journalists affiliated with the platform, known for its critical stance towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist-led government.

Late Tuesday evening, the arrests unfolded, with several journalists associated with NewsClick being detained and their digital devices confiscated. This operation was part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of financial misconduct, specifically whether the website had received funds from China. NewsClick has vehemently denied any wrongdoing in this regard.

Suman Nalwa, a police spokesperson, stated that these arrests were carried out under a comprehensive anti-terrorism law. This law has been controversially employed by the government to suppress dissent and detain activists, journalists, and critics of Modi, some of whom have spent considerable time behind bars awaiting trial. The individuals apprehended are Prabir Purkayastha, the founder and editor of NewsClick, and Amit Chakravarty, the head of human resources.

Nalwa further revealed that at least 46 individuals were subjected to questioning during the extensive raids. Their personal devices, including laptops and cellphones, as well as documents, were confiscated for further examination. This group comprised both current and former employees, freelance contributors, and even cartoonists.

Founded in 2009, NewsClick has gained notoriety as one of the few Indian news outlets unafraid to criticize Prime Minister Modi. Notably, it had previously been subjected to raids by Indian financial enforcement authorities in 2021, though a court subsequently prohibited any “coercive measures” against the website.

The latest legal action against NewsClick was initiated by Indian authorities on August 17, shortly after a report by The New York Times alleged that the website had received funds from an American millionaire involved in promoting “Chinese propaganda.” In the same month, India’s junior minister for information and broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, accused NewsClick of advancing an “anti-India agenda” based on the New York Times report, and of collaborating with the opposition Indian National Congress party. Both NewsClick and the Congress party have vehemently refuted these allegations.

Media watchdogs, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, have decried the arrests and raids, viewing them as part of a wider crackdown on independent media under Modi’s administration. Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator, emphasized the importance of allowing journalists to work without fear of intimidation or reprisal, calling this incident the “latest attack on press freedom in India.”

The Editors Guild of India expressed concern that these raids were intended to foster an atmosphere of intimidation under the shadow of stringent laws.

Notably, earlier this year, authorities conducted searches at the New Delhi and Mumbai offices of the BBC, accusing the organization of tax evasion shortly after it aired a documentary in Britain that examined Prime Minister Modi’s role in anti-Muslim riots in 2002.

India has witnessed investigations into several news organizations for alleged financial impropriety during Modi’s tenure. Independent media in the country frequently contends with censorship, harassment, and the risk of arrests while fulfilling their journalistic duties.

India’s anti-terrorism law entails strict bail conditions, resulting in individuals often languishing in custody for months or even years without being convicted. This law has seen increased usage in recent years by successive Indian governments.

Reporters Without Borders, an advocacy group for journalists, ranked India 161st in its press freedom rankings, describing the situation as having deteriorated from “problematic” to “very bad.”

Furthermore, some independent Indian think tanks and international organizations like Amnesty International and Oxfam India have experienced raids and had their access to funding blocked in recent times.

In response to the raids on NewsClick, journalist Abhisar Sharma, whose home was searched and electronic devices seized, asserted his commitment to his work. In a resolute statement on X (formerly known as Twitter), he declared, “Nothing to fear. And I will keep questioning people in power and particularly those who are afraid of simple questions.”

The raids on NewsClick have also sparked criticism from India’s political opposition. Shashi Tharoor, an opposition lawmaker, stated, “These are not the actions of a ‘mother of democracy’ but of an insecure and autocratic state. The government has disgraced itself and our democracy today.”

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• NewsClick Editor and Administrator Arrested in New Delhi
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• Committee to Protect Journalists
• Editors Guild of India
• Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Rankings
• BBC Office Searches in India
• Amnesty International India
• Oxfam India
• Journalist Abhisar Sharma
• Political Opposition Response