Over six months after journalists with direct or tangential links with news outlet NewsClick were raided by the Delhi police and their electronic devices seized over allegations of “foreign funding”, advocacy groups Reporters Without Borders and Guernica 37 Chambers have called on the European Union to sanction four high-ranking officers of the Delhi police for “exactions”.  

RSF is a press freedom non-profit headquartered in Paris, while Guernica 37 Chambers is a London-based group of barristers and attorneys with expertise in international law.

According to an RSF statement, both groups made a submission to the EU’s diplomatic service, European External Action Service, asking that it be referred to member states to adopt “sanctions against four officials of the Delhi police's counter-terrorism unit, who are implicated in an unprecedented crackdown on journalists in the country”.

The statement did not name the four officials but said they ordered the “arbitrary” raid on 46 journalists, including NewsClick contributors and former employees, in October 2023.

Noting that “more than 480 electronic devices” had been seized, the statement said NewsClick was “mainly targeted for its investigative reporting”. “Several journalists targeted by the raids had investigated alleged fraud committed by the Adani conglomerate, whose chairman is considered close to current Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Other reporters appear to have been targeted for their coverage of farmers' protests between 2020 and 2021.”

RSF and Guernica 37 urged the EU to implement sanctions under a scheme introduced in December 2020 to address “serious human rights violations in third countries”. “These can range from a ban on entering the European Union to the freezing of assets on that territory and the prohibition of doing business with European entities.”

The statement quoted Celia Mercier of RSF’s South Asia desk as saying the raids on NewsClick journalists “represent one of the most blatant attacks on press freedom in India” and are an “alarming step” in the repression of journalists. “These acts of terror require urgent action on the part of the European Union.”

It further said that the Delhi Police Special Cell, under Home Minister Amit Shah, is “regularly used to intimidate voices critical of the government” and UAPA is used to “target dissidents”. It noted that several activists protesting the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act were also arrested.

What is the NewsClick case?

NewsClick was raided by the Enforcement Directorate in February 2021 in a “money laundering case pertaining to foreign funding”. In September 2021, it was the subject of a “survey” by the Income Tax department. Newslaundry was simultaneously the target of a similar I-T “survey” too.

In August 2023, the New York Times alleged that NewsClick was among Chinese propaganda outlets funded by American tech mogul Neville Roy Singham. Singham subsequently said the NYT report was an “innuendo-laden hit piece”.

In October, the Delhi police searched the homes of multiple journalists with ties to the organisation in connection with a fresh case filed under the UAPA. Their electronic devices were seized. 

The police also arrested founder Prabir Purkayastha and NewsClick HR head Amit Chakraborty. The FIR in the case, which also named incarcerated activist Gautam Navlakha, stated that Purkayastha, Chakraborty and Singham had allegedly discussed “how to create a map of India without Kashmir and to show Arunachal Pradesh as a disputed area”.

A trial court remanded Purkayastha and Chakraborty to police custody – a decision that was subsequently upheld by the Delhi High Court. Their judicial custody was also extended.

In November, the Enforcement Directorate summoned Singham in the case. The Delhi police sought “financial” details of five companies linked to him in a letter to the US authorities.

In December, NewsClick’s bank accounts were frozen. The news outlet called the action an “administrative-legal siege” and said it has been unable to make any bank payments since the evening of December 18. 

In January, Chakraborty was allowed to turn approver in the case. In an application seeking pardon, Chakravarty claimed he was in possession of “material information” and was willing to disclose it to the Delhi police. Earlier this month, the Delhi police was pulled up by the Patiala House Court for not completing its investigation in the case.

NewsClick has repeatedly denied the charges against it. 

Newslaundry has reported on the police and agency action against NewsClick from the start. Check out our reportage here.