NewsClick

The Delhi High Court quashed charges against NewsClick, which had been accused in an FIR of receiving a $1.5 million investment from Worldwide Media Holdings LLC, a Delaware-based U.S. entity, at an inflated share valuation.

The International Journalists' Union (IJU) welcomed a Delhi High Court verdict that quashed a First Information Report (FIR) against NewsClick and Prabir Purkayastha. The IJU described the ruling as a rebuke to government efforts to suppress independent journalism and critical voices.

The Press Club praised a High Court order that dismissed cases against NewsClick and Prabir Purkayastha. The court cited the Enforcement Directorate's actions as an attempt to suppress free press by creating a chilling effect.

Journalist organizations have criticized the freezing of NewsClick's accounts by the I-T Department, which has prevented the disbursement of employee salaries, including for 19 days of work in December.

FEMA adjudicating authority has imposed an ₹184 crore penalty on NewsClick and its founder Prabir Purkayastha. The proceedings were initiated by the Enforcement Directorate under Section 16 of FEMA, alleging violations related to the receipt and utilisation of foreign funds.

The Supreme Court ruled that the arrest of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha was invalid and ordered his release from custody. The court emphasized that providing written grounds for arrest or detention by authorities is a non-negotiable requirement.

A High Court judge quashed Delhi Police and ED cases against NewsClick, calling the continuation of the FIR a 'gross abuse of the process of law.' Justice Neena Bansal Krishna criticized the ongoing legal action as unjustified.