SC orders release of NewsClick editor and founder Prabir Purkayastha

The Supreme Court on May 15 ordered the release of NewsClick founder and editor Prabir Purkayastha in connection with the anti-terror law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The apex court also deemed his arrest and remand by the Delhi Police as illegal.

The court had observed that the remand hearing was conducted without informing Purkayastha's lawyer in advance, which makes his arrest illegal.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta delivered the verdict after arguments were concluded on April 30.

"There is no hesitation in the mind of the court that the grounds of arrest were not provided, which vitiates the arrest. The appellant is entitled to release from custody after the Pankaj Bansal case. The remand order is invalid," said Justice Mehta.

Purkayastha was arrested in October after a New York Times investigation alleged that NewsClick had received funding from a network pushing Chinese propaganda.

According to the FIR, the news portal allegedly received huge funds from China to "disrupt the sovereignty of India" and cause disaffection against the country.

It also alleged that Purkayastha conspired with a group -- People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) -- to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

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