New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday started conducting raids at the offices of online news portal NewsClick and the homes of its senior officials in connection with what senior officials have said is a money-laundering probe designed to unearth alleged "foreign funding from dubious sources".
The action was taken as per provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), officials said the ED had filed the PMLA case based on a Delhi Police FIR. The ED can initiate such a probe based on any police case that has a cognizable predicate offence.
They added that about eight premises were raided, including those of the website and its promoters in South Delhi's Saidulajab, Gurgaon and some other areas.
The website is founded by Prabir Purkayastha, who is also the Editor-in-Chief of the organisation.
Following the raids, the ED has, however, been tight-lipped on divulging specifics related to the case. After this, the Delhi Union of Journalists and DIGIPUB, an umbrella body of online news portals issued statements condemning the raids.
The DUJ statement, signed by SK Pande, president and Sujata Madhok, general secretary, said, "We view these raids as a serious attack on the online media and the freedom of the press. Coming in the wake of the filing of sedition charges against several senior journalists last week and government moves to curb free speech on Twitter and YouTube, the raids are ominous. The aim is clearly to intimidate and browbeat independent and critical voices that disagree with the government on contemporary issues. "
DIGIPUB has called this an act to "suppress journalism critical of the government and its allies". It also called for the ED to specify why the action was being taken.
Sources have said the probe is linked to some suspect foreign funding and the role of a "defunct company" shut for about the last two years that was allegedly used to transact funds worth over Rs 30 crore.
NewsClick put out a short statement on Tuesday which said, "Truth shall prevail. We have full faith in the legal system." During the raids, Editor Pranjal stepped out of the offices with ED officers to make a statement. He said, "There has been an ongoing raid since morning. We were shown a notice. Right now our documents are being checked. We are co-operating and will continue to co-operate."