Delhi Police’s Special Cell, acting on information provided by the Enforcement Directorate, carried out raids on the premises of prominent news portal NewsClick and the homes of several of its journalists on Tuesday morning. The raids come as part of an investigation into the sources of funding for the news portal, raising concerns about freedom of the press.
The Enforcement Directorate had previously conducted its own investigations at NewsClick’s premises in an effort to uncover the financial sources supporting the news outlet. Subsequently, the Special Cell commenced its own raids, leading to the retrieval of critical data from the laptops and mobile phones of select journalists associated with NewsClick.
The Special Cell targeted the residences of various journalists, including Sanjay Rajoura, Bhasha Singh, Urmilesh, Prabir Purkayastha, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Aunindyo Chakraborty, and Sohail Hashmi. The police confiscated their phones and laptops, and some individuals were taken to the police station for further questioning
One such journalist, Abhisar Sharma, expressed his dismay by posting on social media, stating, “Delhi police landed at my home. Taking away my laptop and phone.”
