Guwahati: The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed NewsClick’s editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and human resources head Amit Chakraborty’s petitions challenging their police remand in a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said that there was no merit in their petitions, Live Law reported.
Purkayastha and Chakravarty were arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on October 3 in connection with the anti-terror law UAPA for allegedly receiving money to spread ‘pro-China propaganda’.
Delhi Police raided several journalists associated with NewsClick following allegations that the news organisation received money to spread Chinese propaganda.
A day later, a city court remanded them to police custody for seven days.
On October 6, Gedela had said that there was something missing from the trial court’s remand order as it was apparently passed without hearing the counsels of the accused men.
This was after Purkayastha’s lawyer told the judge that the remand order violates Delhi High Court rules stating that an accused person is entitled to a counsel. However, the High Court refused to grant them interim relief then.
After their police remand ended, they were sent to judicial custody for 10 days.
The High Court is yet to hear Purkayastha and Chakraborty’s petition demanding that the first information report against them be quashed, according to Bar and Bench.