New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday morning raided the residences of several officials and journalists associated with NewsClick.in, an independent media portal based in Delhi. It is believed that ED raids the independent news portal, as it highlights common men’s plights.
Sources within the media group confirmed to The Wire that those raided included owner Prabir Purkayastha and editor Pranjal. According to The Hindu, the organisation’s office in Delhi’s Saidulajab was also raided.
ED raids NewsClick
According to The Quint, the ED said the raids on NewsClick were linked to an alleged money laundering case and the agency was probing funding the organisation had received from “dubious companies” abroad.
Anchor Abhisar Sharma, who hosts two YouTube programmes for NewsClick, also confirmed the raid on Twitter.
ED raid at https://t.co/WK95HKtJzE 's office & Directors/Shareholders home since 10am this morning. @newsclickin . This is where I do my shows Bol ke lab aazaad hain tere and Newschakra
— Abhisar Sharma (@abhisar_sharma) February 9, 2021
Along with Abhishar, senior journalists Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Urmilesh, Aunindyo Chakravarty also report from here. In recent times, many independent journalist used to work from NewsClick’s office.
Most of these journalists’ shows are very popular and attract large viewers on YouTube and other platforms.
Some journalists took to social media to say that the ED raid on NewsClick was the government’s latest attempt to harass journalists who do no toe the official line.
Modi government’s assault on media continues with ED raid on @newsclickin office, homes of owner Prabir Purkayastha and editor Pranjal, in Delhi. NewsClick was one of the last bastions of critical reporting on the government’s policies.
— Mohammad Ali (@hindureporter) February 9, 2021
Attacks on the media continue with ED raid on @newsclickin office, homes of owner Prabir Purkayastha and editor Pranjal, in Delhi.
— Sridhar V (@sritara) February 9, 2021
Sedition cases, UAPA, FIRs for 153, 505, etc, frivolous defamation suits and now ED raids, this is how the government handles India’s independent media. @newsclickin is the latest target… https://t.co/RSsMLOqTfK via @thewire_in
— Siddharth (@svaradarajan) February 9, 2021
This story first published at The Wire.
