NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted searches on the premises of news portal Newsclick and residences of its journalists and promoters in connection with investments of Rs 32 crore in the portal from what ED claimed to be suspect sources in the US.
The raids were criticised by Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala and Left leaders like Subhashini Ali and Dipankar, while the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) issued a statement in support of Newsclick. Noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan, too, criticised the ED action. The new portal’s editor said the organisation was cooperating with the authorities.
According to sources, a money-laundering investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has been initiated against Newsclick promoters based on an FIR registered by Delhi Police.
February 5, 2021 |
New Delhi: Eight journalists who covered the farmer protests in India and violence in Delhi on January 26, 2021 are facing baseless criminal charges, Human Rights Watch said in a statement on February 2. The Indian authorities should drop the charges, which include sedition, promoting communal disharmony, and making statements prejudicial to national integration.
“The Indian authorities’ response to protests has focused on discrediting peaceful protesters, harassing critics of the government, and prosecuting those reporting on the events,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The government instead should conduct a transparent and impartial investigation into the January 26 violence in Delhi.”
Journalists’union wantsban lifted onreporting stir
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The Delhi Union of Journalists on Friday condemned Delhi Police’s decision to prohibit reporters from meeting protesting farmers at the Singhu border.
In a statement, Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) said that reporters have been covering the protests of farmers since its beginning and there has been no intimidation against objective reporting of the protests. However, now, reporters have to travel fifteen to twenty kilometres extra through village roads to meet the farmers.
“Reports so far indicate that Delhi Police has denied basic amenities such as food and water to the protesters, besides removing toilets and shutting off electricity. If the entry of reporters is banned and the Internet shut down, the media will be unable to verify reports of conditions in the camps. Unconfirmed rumours will become widespread,” the statement added.
File photos of Rajdeep Sardesai (left) and Shashi Tharoor
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and journalist Rajdeep Sardesai have moved the Supreme Court against the multiple first information reports filed against them for allegedly sharing unverified news about the death of a protestor during the farmers’ tractor rally on January 26,
Live Law reported on Wednesday.
National Herald’s senior consulting editor Mrinal Pande,
Qaumi Awaz editor Zafar Agha,
The
The
Caravan editor Anant Nath have also approached the court against the FIRs.
On January 30, the Delhi Police became the fifth one to file a case against Tharoor and six journalists. However, unlike the other states, the first information report filed by the Delhi Police does not include charges of sedition. The police had also named
Eight journalists who covered the farmer protests in India and violence in Delhi on January 26, 2021 are facing baseless criminal charges, Human Rights Watch said today.