Supreme Court of India orders release of NewsClick editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha

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The Supreme Court of India has ordered the release of Prabir Purkayastha, founder and editor-in-chief of Indian online news portal NewsClick. The Supreme Court has said that Purkayastha was illegally arrested and detained by the Delhi Police.

Supreme Court of India orders release of NewsClick editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha

According to Live Law dot in , the court said Purkayastha was illegally detained under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act-1967 (UAPA).

A joint bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta ordered the release of Purkayastha. The bench has also mentioned in the verdict that the police did not give any reason while making the arrest. Purkayastha was arrested last October under the UAPA Act on charges of receiving illegal assistance from China. Purkayastha knocked the door of the Supreme Court saying that his arrest was illegal.

Amit Chakraborty, administrative head of Newsclick along with Purkayastha was arrested by Delhi Police Special Cell on October 3, 2023 . Chakraborty was released in January after becoming a government witness.

According to a news published in the New York Times, they were arrested for taking illegal assistance from China. The New York Times said that the Chinese government paid the news portal to spread 'propaganda'.