Delhi High Court Issues Notice On NewsClick And Its Founder Prabir Purkayastha's Plea For Quashing Of ED's Money Laundering Case

A single-judge bench of Justice Mukta Gupta of the Delhi High Court bench today issued notice on M/s PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt Ltd and its founder Prabir Purkayastha's petition seeking quashing of an ECIR against them in a money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court has also directed for interim protection to Purkayastha to continue and for him to be given a copy of the ECIR.

In light of the protection, no coercive action may be taken against the portal until the next date of hearing.

Reportedly, the ED had raided the premises of news portal NewsClick and residences of its editors in February this year in connection with a money laundering case and conducted search and seizure under the same.

The allegations against the petitioner company Newsclick is that it had allegedly received foreign direct investment by overvaluing the share to avoid the cap of FDI requirement.

Taking cognizance of the aforesaid FIR, the ED had initiated a probe and conducted search operations.

Earlier, a single judge vacation bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh had granted interim protection to both the petitioners.