Delhi Police At Residences Of Sitaram Yechury, Teesta Setalvad After Raids At Newsclick Journalists

The Delhi Police Special Cell on Tuesday raided the residence of CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury in connection with the ongoing action concerning entities associated with the NewsClick website, according to a report in Asianet News.

The raid was prompted by the presence of an individual associated with the case reportedly residing within the premises, sources told the publication.

Also, the cops have reached activist Teesta Setalvad's residence, according to the visuals shared by ANI.

On Delhi Police conducting raids at different premises linked to NewsClick, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury says, "Police came to my residence because one of my companions who lives with me there, his son works for NewsClick. Police came to question him. They took his laptop and phone. What are they investigating, nobody knows. If this is an attempt to try and muzzle the media, the country must know the reason behind this."

Delhi Police's Special Cell on Tuesday morning conducted raids at the premises of online portal NewsClick and its journalists, triggering outrage against the action among scribes.

The Special Cell has registered a new case and started an investigation, officials told PTI.

Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate carried out raids at the company's premises to investigate its funding sources. Now, acting on information provided by the central agency, the Special Cell is conducting a raid at the media firm.

Officials familiar with the matter stated that the police have seized data from laptops and mobile phones of certain journalists affiliated with NewsClick.

Abhisar Sharma, a journalist, wrote on X, "Delhi police landed at my home. Taking away my laptop and phone." Another journalist, Bhasha Singh, wrote on X, "Finally last tweet from this phone. Delhi police seizure (sic) my phone."

In August, the Delhi High Court sought the stand of NewsClick Founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha on a plea by the city police seeking vacation of an earlier order granting him interim protection from arrest in an unlawful foreign funding case.

The website recently hit the headlines for allegedly receiving money from US millionaire Neville Roy Singham for pro-China propaganda in India.

Citing an investigation by The New York Times, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur too recently claimed that the NewsClick's money trail revealed an "anti-India agenda."