New Delhi, July 23 (H.S.): Delhi High Court granted anticipatory bail to Prabir Purkayastha, editor-in-chief of NewsClick, concerning Enforcement Directorate's money laundering case and Delhi Police's EOW FIR linked to alleged foreign funding. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna announced the decision, resolving pleas from 2021. NewsClick Director Pranjal Pandey also received anticipatory bail in the EOW case. Purkayastha had interim protection from arrest since June 2021, which was extended multiple times.

The ED had raided NewsClick and its editors' homes in February 2021, investigating claims that PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt Ltd overvalued its shares to bypass FDI caps. The ED's probe was initiated following the EOW FIR. Purkayastha is accused of unlawfully securing ₹9.59 crore in Foreign Direct Investment from Worldwide Media Holdings between 2018-19. Additionally, the Supreme Court declared his October 3, 2023, arrest by the Delhi Police illegal, citing the absence of a detention copy for his lawyer and no written justification for the arrest, leading to his ordered release.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar