Delhi Police’s chargesheet accuses Teesta Setalvad and Prabir Purkayastha of financial wrongdoing and inciting violence during protests, implicating them in a larger network involving activist Gautam Navlakha.
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DELHI: Recently, Activist Teesta Setalvad and NewsClick founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha have been accused by Delhi Police of engaging in a news-syndication scam and receiving tainted foreign funds. The chargesheet, reveals that the activist received the money through “convenient ways”. The allegations also involve the operation of ‘Sabrang India,’ a portal linked to Setalvad, which allegedly benefited from this scam.
According to the chargesheet, the news-syndication scam involved the payment of columnists and authors by Prabir Purkayastha, who falsely attributed their work to ‘Sabrang India’ instead of their own names. This allowed Setalvad to earn substantial amounts of money, including nearly Rs 3 lakh for ‘Sabrang India,’ over Rs 1 crore for her employees, and Rs 39 lakh for personal use by her family.
Delhi Police claims that this method of receiving tainted foreign funds was the “most convenient way” for Setalvad, despite being under the scrutiny of probe agencies. The chargesheet establishes the connection between Teesta Setalvad, Prabir Purkayastha, and Neville Roy Singham, describing them as an “interoperable triumvirate.” Singham, an American millionaire and a long-standing associate of Purkayastha, is alleged to have supported the financial activities of Setalvad’s news portal ‘Sabrang India’ and NGO CJP.
The chargesheet suggests that Teesta Setalvad, Prabir Purkayastha, and Neville Roy Singham were not only fulfilling their personal needs but also working towards a larger agenda of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) on behalf of Singham’s paymasters. It further claims that email exchanges between Setalvad and Singham provide evidence of the millionaire funding ‘Sabrang India’ and the NGO CJP through Purkayastha.
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However, there is no written agreement between NewsClick and ‘Sabrang India’ regarding the receipt of funds from Neville Roy Singham.
During the investigation on December 13, 2023, Delhi Police’s Special Cell served a notice to Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand, who is also the co-editor of ‘Sabrang India,’ to provide details of the transactions. The police sought information about the agreement between Sabrang India and NewsClick, including details of shared manpower, salary information, and articles/videos produced.
Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand had obtained anticipatory bail in 2023 in connection with an alleged fund embezzlement case worth Rs 1.4 crore related to their NGO ‘Sabrang Trust.’
The chargesheet also mentions activist Gautam Navlakha, stating that his role in the case is under investigation. Navlakha, a shareholder in PPK NewsClick Studio Private Limited, is suspected of being a conduit for financing and supplying arms to a banned Maoist outfit, as per the testimonies of protected witnesses. He was questioned in December 2023 in relation to the case.
According to the chargesheet, Prabir Purkayastha not only engaged in a malicious disinformation campaign using PPK NewsClick Studio Private Limited but also employed his employees or partners to distribute cash to rioters. Some of these rioters had already been arrested in a separate Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967 (UAPA) case or are currently in judicial custody.
The chargesheet alleges that Purkayastha utilized the NewsClick channel to spread misinformation during the 2020-2021 farmer protests. By using hashtags such as #BhashanNahiRashan (Food, not speeches) and posters advocating ‘Andolan se hi aaegi kranti’ (Revolution will come from protests), Purkayastha and PPK NewsClick Studio Private Limited allegedly attempted to mobilize masses and disrupt law and order in the state.
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The chargesheet presents evidence implicating Prabir Purkayastha in various unlawful activities, including involvement in terrorist acts, fundraising for such activities, and conspiring against the state. Additionally, it alleges that there is evidence suggesting the portrayal of India without Kashmir in their news broadcasts and the manipulation of maps to depict ‘Aksai Chin’ as part of China.
