The Delhi High Court, on Friday, decided to extend the period of judicial custody for Prabir Purkayastha, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of NewsClick, along with the Human Resources (HR) Head, Amit Chakraborty, until October 25. After the completion of their initial 10-day judicial custody, both Purkayastha and Chakraborty were presented before the court.
Their arrest was carried out by the Delhi Police Special Cell, which had initiated legal proceedings back in August. The case was registered under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) UAPA Act and the IPC. The allegations in the FIR suggest that they received foreign funds from China with the intent to disrupt India's sovereignty and incite disaffection against the country.
In a separate development, the Supreme Court has taken notice of the bail pleas filed by Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakraborty. These pleas challenge the Delhi High Court's dismissal of their appeal against the arrest made by the Delhi Police under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, an anti-terror law.
During a brief court hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal represented Prabir Purkayastha. Sibal emphasized the urgency of the matter, particularly because the individual in question is a senior citizen who, in his view, is wrongfully imprisoned. This underscores the importance of expeditiously addressing this legal issue.
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