Kriti Agrawal-
In connection with the money laundering case filed against it by the Enforcement Directorate, the Delhi High Court granted interim protection to Newsclick Editor in Chief Prabir Purkayastha and PPK Newsclick Studio Private Limited, which runs the news portal, till 5 July.
The Single Bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh ordered the ED not to pursue any coercive action against Purkayastha and PPK Newsclick Studio Private Limited, which controls Newsclick, till the next date of hearing on July 5.
The Court also asked the Enforcement Directorate to respond to a plea seeking a copy of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) it had filed against the news portal Newsclick, and gave the ED two weeks to respond.
In another development, the Court requested the Delhi Police’s response to a separate petition filed by the news portal, which sought the quashing of the case lodged by the Economic Offence Wing against it last year.
Following receipt of the aforementioned FIR, the Enforcement Directorate launched an investigation and conducted search operations in the matter.
The ED raided Newsclick’s offices and the homes of its editors in February of this year, purportedly in connection with a case of suspected money laundering. The case involving foreign cash is based on an FIR filed by the economic crime wing last year.
The ED has two weeks to file a reply in the case demanding a copy of the ECIR, according to the bench.