Enforcement Directorate Conducts Raids on NewsClick Office, Officials' Residences

The ED said the raids on NewsClick were linked to a money laundering case.

    

 

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday morning raided the residences of several officials and journalists associated with NewsClick.in, an independent media portal based in Delhi.

Sources within the media group confirmed to The Wire that those raided included owner Prabir Purkayastha and editor Pranjal. According to The Hindu, the organisation’s office in Delhi’s Saidulajab was also raided.

 

The Wire‘s public editor Pamela Philipose tweeted in the evening that the raids were still ongoing.

https://twitter.com/pamelaphilipose/status/1359115526333628418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1359115526333628418%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthewire.in%2Fmedia%2Fenforcement-directorate-newsclick-raids 

 According to The Quint, the ED said the raids on NewsClick were linked to an alleged money laundering case and the agency was probing funding the organisation had received from “dubious companies” abroad.

“There’s a search going on since morning, also at some of our houses. We are cooperating and will continue to cooperate. They are searching through the documents and have given us a notice,” Pranjal was quoted as saying.

 Anchor Abhisar Sharma, who hosts two YouTube programmes for NewsClick, also confirmed the raid on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/abhisar_sharma/status/1359039345433276418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1359039345433276418%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthewire.in%2Fmedia%2Fenforcement-directorate-newsclick-raids 

 Some journalists took to social media to say that the ED raid on NewsClick was the government’s latest attempt to harass journalists who do no toe the official line.

https://twitter.com/svaradarajan/status/1359055535723659264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1359055535723659264%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthewire.in%2Fmedia%2Fenforcement-directorate-newsclick-raids 

 

DIGIPUB News India Foundation, formed by digital media organisations and freelancers, has published a release strongly condemning the raids. NewsClick editor Prabir Purkayastha is DIGIPUB’s vice chairperson.

“Such use of state agencies to intimidate journalists and suppress adversarial journalism is detrimental to not only the freedom of the press, but also the very idea of democratic accountability. Everyone emerges poorer in the long run,” the statement reads.

  

This is a developing story. More details will be added as received.

 SOURCE ; THE WIRE

Social media is bold.

Social media is young.

Social media raises questions.

 Social media is not satisfied with an answer.

Social media looks at the big picture.

 Social media is interested in every detail.

social media is curious.

 Social media is free.

Social media is irreplaceable.

But never irrelevant.

Social media is you.

(With input from news agency language)

 If you like this story, share it with a friend!  

We are a non-profit organization. Help us financially to keep our journalism free from government and corporate pressure.