A Delhi court on Tuesday took cognisance of a charge sheet filed against NewsClick founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha under the anti-terror law UAPA. The charge sheet is based on allegations that the news portal received money to spread pro-China propaganda. Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur stated that there was sufficient evidence against the accused and directed the prosecution to supply a copy of the charge sheet to Purkayastha. The court has fixed May 31 for arguments on framing of charges in the matter.

In January, the court had allowed NewsClick HR Head Amit Chakravarty to turn approver in the case. Chakravarty, who was arrested in the case, had sought pardon and claimed he had material information to disclose to the Delhi police, who are investigating the matter. Purkayastha and Chakravarty are currently in judicial custody.

According to the FIR, a large amount of funds allegedly came from China to NewsClick with the intent to disrupt the sovereignty of India and cause disaffection against the country. The charge sheet also alleges that Purkayastha conspired with a group called People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

In October last year, raids were conducted at multiple locations, including 88 in Delhi and seven in other states, against the suspects named in the FIR and those identified through data analysis. The offices of NewsClick and the residences of the journalists who were examined were among the places where around 300 electronic gadgets were seized. As part of the investigation, 46 individuals, including nine female journalists, were questioned by the Special Cell of Delhi Police.