CBI probes into NewsClick over charges of alleged violation of FCRA

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against the online news portal NewsClick for the alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). 

The Delhi Police has arrested NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and the firm's HR director Amit Chakravarty, under the anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, just days after a New York Times investigation claimed that the news portal had received funds from a network spreading Chinese propaganda. A Delhi court on Tuesday sent them to a 10-day judicial custody. 

Earlier this month, raids were carried out at houses of journalists and contributors who are associated with NewsClick, following which, NewsClick's founder and editor-in-chief was arrested. The Enforcement Directorate had previously opened an investigation into the news portal's funding. The income tax department in 2021 had raided the portal's headquarters in connection with alleged discrepancies in taxes. 

A New York Times investigation in August claimed that NewsClick is one of the organizations supported by a network tied to US businessman Neville Roy Singham that promotes Chinese propaganda.