‘All sanctions obtained for prosecution in NewsClick case’: DELHI POLICE TO COURT

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Tuesday informed a court here that it has obtained all the necessary sanctions for the prosecution of the accused in the NewsClick case over allegations that the news portal took money to spread pro-China propaganda.

As per Special Public Prosecutor Akhand Pratap Singh three different sanction orders under section 45 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and under Section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) have been secured, which are being filed in the form of supplementary chargesheets.

In light of these submissions, Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur of Patiala House Courts deferred the matter for April 30.

The court will also decide on whether to take cognisance of the charge sheet filed in the case on the next date of hearing.

The judge said that she would need to read the charge sheet before taking cognisance of the matter.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police on March 30 filed its first charge sheet running into over 9,000 pages against NewsClick Founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha under the provisions of the UAPA.

The prosecutors had earlier stated that sanctions under Section 45 of UAPA and Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) were awaited, which would be filed in the form of a supplementary charge sheet very soon.

Along with Prabir Purkayastha, PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt Ltd (news portal) has also been made an accused. The judicial custody of Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakravarty, the HR head of NewsClick has also been extended.

On January 9, the court granted permission to Amit Chakravarty to become an approver in the case after he had filed an application seeking pardon. He claimed to possess material information, which he was willing to disclose to the Delhi Police. (IANS)

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