New Delhi, October 3: Reports have emerged that Delhi Police is conducting raids at over 30 locations linked to the online portal NewsClick. This action comes in the wake of allegations that NewsClick had received substantial funding from China.
One of the locations targeted in these raids was the residence of Abhisar Sharma, a former television journalist turned YouTuber. Abhisar Sharma took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to report that the Delhi Police were at his residence, confiscating his laptop and phone.
Take a look:
Delhi police landed at my home. Taking away my laptop and Phone…
— Abhisar Sharma (@abhisar_sharma) October 3, 2023
Several individuals connected to NewsClick have been subjected to these raids. A journalist tweeted that the police raided Sanjay Rajoura, Bhasha Singh, Urmilesh, Prabir Purkayastha, Abhisar Sharma, Aunindyo Chakraborty and Sohail Hashmi’s places this morning. Furthermore, they have confiscated phones and laptops. Meanwhile, some of them were taken to the police station.
Police raids Sanjay Rajoura, Bhasha Singh, Urmilesh, Prabir Purkayastha, Abhisar Sharma, Aunindyo Chakraborty and Sohail Hashmi’s places this morning. Phones and laptops taken. Some of them taken to police station. All of them associated with Newsclick.
— Neha Dixit (@nehadixit123) October 3, 2023
It’s noteworthy that NewsClick has been under scrutiny for alleged illicit foreign funding since 2021 when Abhisar Sharma was part of the portal.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation revealed that an overseas fund totalling Rs. 38.05 crores had been deceptively funnelled into NewsClick over three years. These funds allegedly reached various controversial journalists, including Gautam Navlakha and individuals associated with Teesta Setalvad.
Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED conducted extensive searches at PPK Newsclick Studio, its affiliated entities, and the directors and shareholders (comprising ten entities) located in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). During the search, foreign currency, incriminating documents, and digital evidence were seized.
Upon meticulous examination, it was revealed that there were suspicious transactions involving foreign inward remittances. Specifically, Rs. 9.59 crore had been introduced through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and an additional Rs. 28.46 crore was purportedly generated through the export of services.
The ED investigation disclosed that Prabir Purkayastha, the Director of Newsclick, had connections with Neville Roy Singham of Worldwide Media Holdings LLC (Limited Liability Company) since 2017.
Digital evidence suggested that Prabir and Neville Roy Singham, who reportedly has links to the Communist Party of China (CPC), orchestrated a complex scheme. Allegations indicate that they sought to secure Rs. 9.59 crores from a Chinese entity through a legal façade of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Moreover, it’s claimed that Neville Roy Singham had previously transferred funds to Prabir under the pretext of consultancy fees, ostensibly to promote a “leftist ideology.”
Neither Prabir Purkayastha nor the Newsclick Studio personnel were able to provide a satisfactory explanation for receiving Rs. 28.46 crore from foreign sources.
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