ED summons american millionaire Neville Singham in NewsClick case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday has issued summons to American millionaire Neville Roy Singham in connection with the NewsClick case. Neville Roy Singham’s name first surfaced in a report by The New York Times, which alleged that the US millionaire was involved in spreading the Chinese propaganda worldwide.

The federal agency has sent the summons to Singham in China through Ministry of External Affairs. Singham, who has been named as an accused in the NewsClick case, previously rejected the allegations that he is running a funding network affiliated to the Chinese government’s propaganda arm to spread China’s talking points around the world, including India and through media outlet NewsClick.

The Delhi Police’s special cell has named him as an accused in the case, in which the editor and an employee of NewsClick were arrested. Close to 100 persons, including journalists and activists, were also raided last month.

The Special Cell has also arrested Prabir Purkayastha, the editor-in-chief of the web portal NewsClick, along with its human resources head, Amit Chakravarty last month. The arrests followed the coordinated raids at approximately 100 locations across the country.

Law enforcement officials are investigating allegations against the portal, accusing it of receiving illegal funding from China and propagating Chinese propaganda. Several employees and consultants associated with the portal are also under scrutiny.

Earlier on November 2, the Delhi’s Patiala House Court sent Newsclick’s founder and Editor-in-Chief, Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty to judicial custody for 30 days. They were arrested last month by Delhi Police in a case filed under the anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act following allegations that news portal NewsClick received huge money for pro-China propaganda.

The Delhi Police’s Special Cell in its FIR against news web portal NewsClick’s founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha stated that People’s Dispatch Portal, owned and maintained by PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt. Ltd. has been used for intentionally peddling false narratives through paid news in lieu of crores of rupees of illegally routed foreign funds as part of the conspiracy.

Furthermore, the Delhi Police FIR stated that foreign funds in crores have been infused illegally in India by Indian and Foreign entities inimical to India in pursuance of conspiracy with the intention to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, to cause disaffection against India and to threaten the unity, integrity, security of India.

The Delhi Police First Information Report is filed under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The FIR was filed following an investigation by The New York Times, which alleged a connection between Singham, a Shanghai-based businessman of Sri Lankan-Cuban descent closely affiliated with the Chinese government, and NewsClick.