Delhi High Court Quashes Cases Against NewsClick and Founder Prabir Purkayastha

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has quashed the cases filed against NewsClick and its founder Prabir Purkayastha. The court set aside both the FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police and the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) filed by the ED.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna ruled that the investigating agencies had failed to present even prima facie evidence to support the allegations. The court observed that there was no evidence to substantiate charges of criminal conspiracy or offences under PMLA.

The judgment stated that allowing the proceedings to continue would amount to an abuse of the legal process. The court also reportedly criticized the Enforcement Directorate for being unable to clearly explain the nature of the alleged criminal conspiracy involving Purkayastha.

The cases stemmed from allegations that NewsClick had received FDI improperly. The first FIR was registered in August 2020, and the Enforcement Directorate initiated its investigation in 2021.

BJP had targeted Prabir Purkayastha for nearly six years because NewsClick exposedthe party's communal and divisive campaigns. BJP was displeased with Purkayastha's perceived proximity to left-wing politics and NewsClick's coverage of major events, including the nationwide farmers' protests.

During this period, Purkayastha and NewsClick had faced multiple investigations, searches, and legal actions over several years. Authorities conducted raids at the residences of Purkayastha and his associates and seized electronic devices, including computers and mobile phones.

In October 2023, Purkayastha was arrested by the Delhi Police and remanded to custody. However, in May 2024, the Supreme Court of India ordered his release, holding that his arrest was unlawful.

The High Court also observed that the non-bailable offences included in the FIR were not sustainable under the circumstances presented by the investigating agencies.