Court grants police more time to complete NewsClick probe
A court here on Friday granted the Delhi Police 20 days more to complete its investigation against NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha in a case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA over allegation that the news portal received money to spread pro-China propaganda.
Additional Sessions Judge Pawan Kumar asked the special cell of Delhi Police to file the charge sheet within 20 days, after the probe agency said it required more time to conclude its investigation which was “at a crucial stage”. The court had on December 22 granted the city police 60 more days to complete the probe. The judge also extended the judicial custody of Purkayastha and accused-turned-approver Amit Chakravarty, NewsClick’s HR department head, till March 15. During the proceedings, the judge voiced displeasure over protracted investigation by the city police. “What have you done in the last 150 days? If you had utilised these days properly, you would not need an extension... Such a large conspiracy, so many people are allegedly involved, and you have arrested only one person. In the
past 150 days of investigation you have only one person arrested. You have names of the people but you have arrested only one person,” the judge remarked.
The city police told the court they have taken “prompt steps” to conduct the probe and said data collected during the investigation needed thorough examination.
“There are nearly four lakh e-mails and more than 100 digital documents and one of the accused is residing outside India...There are administrative works which are pending which have to be completed before filing the charge sheet. We are in the process of appreciating evidence and summarising them,” the investigating officer (IO) told the court.