Delhi High Court
– Photo: Amar Ujala
Expansion
The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved its order on the bail plea of Newsclick HR department head Amit Chakraborty in a case registered against the news portal under the anti-terrorism law UAPA. It was alleged in this petition that he had received money for pro-China propaganda. Chakraborty’s lawyer said the chargesheet in the case has already been filed and the petitioner has been cited as a prosecution witness after turning approver. After this, Justice Swarnkant Sharma reserved the order.
The lawyer said the High Court has the discretion to grant bail to Chakraborty under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The Enforcement Directorate (ED) counsel said the prosecution has no objection if they are granted the relief. Chakraborty’s lawyer said that his client has been pardoned by the trial court in the case and he is also cooperating in the investigation. In January, the trial court allowed Chakraborty to turn approver in the case and granted him pardon.
Chakraborty has claimed that he has important information about the case, which he wants to disclose to Delhi Police. The Special Cell of Delhi Police had arrested NewsClick founders Prabir Purkayastha and Chakraborty on October 3 last year. Both of them are currently in judicial custody. According to the FIR, a large amount of funds to the news portal came from China to “disrupt the sovereignty of India” and create disaffection against the country.