New Delhi: A Delhi court has decided to extend the judicial custody of Prabir Purkayastha, the founder of Newsclick, and the company's HR head, Amit Chakraborty, until October 25. This decision comes in light of a case registered under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in which they are accused of allegedly receiving funds from China to promote pro-China propaganda.

The duo was produced before the court at the conclusion of their initial 10-day judicial custody. Their arrests were made by the Delhi Police on October 3, after which they were initially remanded to five-day police custody. Subsequently, they were placed in judicial custody following the conclusion of the police remand.

According to the allegations outlined in the FIR, Purkayastha and Chakraborty are accused of receiving a substantial amount of funds from China with the intent to disrupt India's sovereignty and incite disaffection against the country. Additionally, the NewsClick founder is further accused of conspiring with a group to undermine the electoral process during the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

Purkayastha and Chakraborty have taken their case to the Supreme Court, arguing that their arrest by the Delhi Police under the UAPA and the subsequent police remand were illegal due to the police's failure to provide them with the written grounds for their arrest within 24 hours. The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Delhi Police and requested their response to the challenges presented by the arrested individuals regarding their arrest and police custody.

The Supreme Court's notice followed an order from the Delhi High Court, which rejected their claims that their arrest was illegal. The High Court, in upholding their arrest, asserted that the UAPA did not require written grounds for arrest within 24 hours and that there were no "procedural infirmities" or violations of legal or constitutional provisions in the arrest and subsequent police remand.

Furthermore, the High Court emphasized the significance of gathering sensitive information or intelligence under the UAPA, particularly its direct impact on matters related to national security. The next court appearance for Purkayastha and Chakraborty in the UAPA case is scheduled for October 25.

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