Delhi High Court Questions Arrest of NewsClick Editor and HR Head Under UAPA
The Delhi High Court has raised concerns regarding the arrest of Prabir Purkayastha, the Editor of news portal NewsClick, and Amit Chakraborty, the portal’s HR head, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The court questioned why the grounds for arrest were not mentioned in the remand application of the Delhi Police.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the petitioners, argued that the arrest was illegal as no grounds were given for the arrest. He also pointed out that both individuals were entitled to legal counsel as per High Court rules. Sibal requested interim protection until the next hearing on Monday, but the court refused to release the petitioners due to the nature of the allegations.
The court highlighted a discrepancy in the remand order, noting that it did not disclose the grounds of arrest. The court also stated that there was a Supreme Court judgment related to this matter. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the police, requested time to respond and mentioned the sensitive nature of the case.
In addition, Chakraborty’s counsel informed the court that his client is physically challenged, prompting the court to direct the investigating officer to ensure his medical condition is not compromised.
Previously, a sessions court granted Purkayastha and Chakraborty access to a copy of the FIR in the UAPA case, despite opposition from the Delhi Police, citing the sensitivity of the case.
The Delhi Police had alleged that the case against the arrested individuals is connected to a Chinese funding case aimed at disrupting India’s sovereignty. However, the exact details and evidence supporting these allegations have not been disclosed.
The Delhi High Court is set to reconvene on Monday to further examine the plea challenging the arrest, remand, and FIR registered against Purkayastha and Chakraborty. The court will seek responses from both the petitioners and the Delhi Police to determine the legality and grounds of the arrest.
