Delhi High Court grants interim protection to Newsclick editor in money laundering case

The Delhi High Court on Monday night granted interim protection from any coercive action to Newsclick editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha in the money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate, Indian Express reported.

The single bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh directed the ED to not take any coercive action against Purkayastha and PPK Newsclick Studio Private Limited, which owns Newsclick, until the next date of hearing, which is slated for July 5.

The court also asked the Delhi police to respond to another petition filed by Newsclick’s owners on the quashing of the case registered against the news portal last year by the Delhi police's economic offence wing.

In February this year, the ED had conducted a raid on the premises of Newsclick and the residences of its editors, allegedly in connection with a case of suspected money laundering. The case related to foreign funds is based on an FIR filed last year by the economic offence wing.

The bench directed the ED to file a reply in the case seeking the copy of ECIR within two weeks.