Delhi HC Grants Anticipatory Bail to NewsClick Founder in Foreign Funding Cases

Quick Summary

• The Delhi High Court on July 23, 2025, granted anticipatory bail to Prabir Purkayastha, NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief, in two separate cases involving alleged foreign funding and money laundering.
• Justice Neena Bansal Krishna extended similar relief to NewsClick director Pranjal Pandey.
• The investigations into the cases date back to 2020; however, no chargesheets have been filed yet. The court noted that Mr. Purkayastha had not been called for inquiry since 2023.
• Allegations include ₹9.59 crore received as foreign direct investment (FDI) by PPK newsclick studio Pvt Ltd from a U.S.-based entity during FY 2018-19 and claims of overvaluation of shares to bypass the FDI cap on digital news websites.
• Delhi Police’s FIR also alleged that over 45% of the investment was diverted for payments like salaries or consultancy fees for ulterior motives.
• Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated its probe based on this FIR and carried out searches at multiple locations linked to NewsClick.
• Interim protection from arrest was earlier given by courts in related cases, while Mr. Purkayastha’s separate arrest under UAPA in October 2023 was declared illegal by the Supreme Court in may 2024.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The granting of anticipatory bail suggests judicial recognition of gaps or delays in the investigations against both mr. Purkayastha and Mr. Pandey as their initiation five years ago. This case highlights concerns around procedural efficiency given that no chargesheets have been filed despite notable financial allegations related to FDI rules violations and purported money laundering activities.

By underscoring evidence primarily being documentary with minimal risk of tampering or witness influence due to societal roots cited for Mr. Purkayastha (age:75), the court balanced legal scrutiny with safeguard considerations tied around individual probative guilt amidst persistent investigations mechanisms earlier extensions alongside those reaffirmations imply periodic wider-state inner-discussion loops re-evaluating application overlaps/errorsville minimising individual penal infraction loophole loopholding capacitative!

Read more: NewsClick Founder Granted Bail – The Hindu