Special Cell Team of Delhi Police on Tuesday raided multiple locations linked to the online news portal NewsClick for its alleged link to China. As per reports, Delhi Police on Tuesday registered a case against NewsClick under the stringent anti-terror law- Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and therefore raided the homes of multiple journalists linked to NewsClick. NewsClick has been accused of receiving funds from China to run 'Pro China' propaganda on its website and spread hatred against the Modi government.
Talking more about the NewsClick Delhi Police raid, no arrests have been made so far, however, reports suggest that some journalists have been taken to police stations for questioning. It is pertinent to mention here that a journalist named Abhisar Sharma took to his official X handle on Tuesday and informed that Delhi Police visited his home and confiscated his laptop and phone. Notably, going by Abhisar's social media profile, he has been a staunch critic of the Modi government and often criticizes government policies to his fullest.
Delhi police landed at my home. Taking away my laptop and Phone...
— Abhisar Sharma (@abhisar_sharma) October 3, 2023
It is pertinent to mention here that NewsClick is also facing money laundering charges. For the unversed, NewsClick is also being investigated by the ED in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case in which the news outlet is accused of taking Rs 38 crore from a Chinese citizen and using it to spread “pro-China propaganda” in India through its news stories.
Now, the question arises how did NewsClick come under central agencies' radar? Below is what you should know about the sensitive case-
NewsClick's China link explained
NewsClick's China connection first came to light in August 2015. A New York Times investigation report alleged that NewsClick is among organisations that were funded by a network linked to US millionaire Neville Roy Singham that pushes Chinese propaganda.
Thereafter, the issued was raised in the Lok Sabha (Indian Parliament) as well. In Lok Sabha, BJP leader Nishikant Dubey lashed out at Congress over a New York Times report that alleged a global nexus of spreading Chinese propaganda in India with the help of a political party and a news portal named NewsClick. New York Times in its expose alleged that the New Delhi-based media portal, Newsclick - financed by American tech mogul Neville Roy Singham - was pushing China's agenda. The US media portal further accused the Congress party of defending and supporting NewsClick during an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate in 2021 into its funding.
Nishikant Dubey taking a dig at the Congress party alleged that the grand old party which has a nack of tabling facts about the US media portal has exposed them in speaking Chinese propaganda in the country. In fact, Information & Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said 'China, Congress, and NewsClick are part of one umbilical cord’.
Even newspapers like ‘The New York Times’ are now admitting that Neville Roy Singham and his NewsClick are dangerous tools of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and promoting China’s political agenda across the world.
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) August 6, 2023
Much before NYT, India has long been telling the world that… pic.twitter.com/3MtA4UTWkn
Neville Roy Singham is an American millionaire who is the founder and former chairman of ThoughtWorks, an IT consulting company that provides custom software, software tools, and consulting service. However, Neville Roy Singham is accused of spreading Chinese propaganda in India and around the globe.
What did Nshikant Dubey say on 'Congress, China & Newsclick'?
While addressing the Lok Sabha, Nitesh Dubey said, "They (Congress) want to divide India through Chinese forces and some media." Dubey further added, "Between 2005 and 2014, whenever there was a crisis, the Congress had received money from China. In 2008, they invited both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. In 2016, they were talking to the Chinese during the Doklam crisis." Not only this, but Dubey also took the names of Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Randeep Surjewala. Dubey claimed that the NYT report explained how money was given to Maoists and senior journalists.
राहुल की नफ़रत की दुकान चायनीज समान से भरी हुई है । कॉंग्रेस पार्टी की नीति चीन के साथ मिलकर भारत तोड़ने की है। कॉंग्रेस पार्टी के चीन के फ़ंडिंग की जाँच भारत सरकार के चुनाव आयोग को करके कॉंग्रेस की दुकान बंद करनी चाहिए pic.twitter.com/hAvAHSxUBr
— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) August 7, 2023