‘Heard money is for LeT’ — claims by 8 ‘protected’ witnesses in NewsClick chargesheet

‘Heard money is for LeT’ — claims by 8 ‘protected’ witnesses in NewsClick chargesheet

New Delhi: The statements of eight ‘protected’ witnesses and accused-turned-approver Amit Chakraborty form the backbone not just in the Delhi Police’s chargesheet in the NewsClick case but also when it comes to the allegations of terror funding and inciting violence.

Other evidence includes maps, mail exchanges, financial transactions of NewsClick and ‘incriminating’ evidence such as books, posters, etc seized from the house of one of the now ‘protected witnesses’, in a raid last December.

Chakraborty’s brother Anup is also among the list of 207 witnesses which include officers of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Delhi Police, and income tax department.

ThePrint went through and analysed the statements of all eight ‘protected’ witnesses and Chakraborty’s.

While Gama (first ‘protected’ witness) and Gama 2 (third) are former employees of NewsClick, another ‘protected’ witness BEETA had formerly written articles for the news website and ‘Sabrang India’, a portal named operated by rights activist Teesta Setalvad

BEETA 1 and 2 narrate how they were introduced to rights activist Gautam Navlakha and were paid by the activist on supply of weapons.

ThePrint reached Arshdeep Singh Khurana, counsel for Purkayastha, who directed to NewsClick. A response was then sought through email. This report will be updated once a response is received.

On Wednesday, NewsClick had slammed media reports of the Delhi Police’s chargesheet against Purkayastha which were published without seeking its response. “NewsClick reiterates, once again, that the investigations by the Delhi Police and other agencies are attempts to target our independent journalism,” it had said in a detailed statement.

‘Heard money is for LeT’

In the statement, Gama gives details of how NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha allegedly “distributes” cash among rioters during the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protests in 2019-2020.

Gama 2 and Chakraborty’s statements are on similar lines — money allegedly given through Anand Mangnale (a writer contributing to NewsClick) to incite Delhi riots, alleged funds to Maoist, money purportedly pumped in during farmer’s protest, publishing of articles and videos published that show Indian vaccines and government’s efforts during Covid in negative light and getting “distorted” maps made.

Gama 2 narrates how he heard Purkyastha say that the “money is for Lashkar-e-Taiba”.

“Prabir used to change the map from permanent lines to adopted lines of the international boundaries in various maps…in discussions with my colleagues, I came to know that Prabir, Amit and other members had extreme Marxist and Maoists ideologies and had an agenda of inciting people’s war against the state…I would like to mention that NewsClick isn’t a fair news portal and is a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party. People like Prabir, Amit, Pranjal and other members of NewsClick want to disintegrate India on geographical and communal lines through distorting geographical boundaries of the country and incite violence on sensitive issues like CAA, NRC, J&K and COVID-19 etc,” the Delhi Police’s chargesheet quotes Gama as saying.

The ‘protected’ witness then narrates about how Purkyastha and NewsClick’s editor Pranjal Pandey had gone to China and got infected with Covid, endangering their lives. “I realised that Prabir, Pranjal and others at NewsClick had anti-India objectives…my life is in danger from Prabir and Amit,” Gama adds.

Gama 1’s statement in Hindi mentions a woman journalist approaching for a ‘favour’ during the police raids on NewsClick.

“She asked me to take some things from her. She gave me some books, framed posters of Communist leaders and documents. She told me that her colleague Pranjal had given her these for safe keeping and if these are found with her, the matter would get complicated…. Delhi Police interrogated me and found the three bags with these items… I had never opened the bags…there were 51 books and 59 documents in them,” Gama 1’s statement reads.

“When I told him (Purkayastha) that this journalism is anti India, he told me that he gets money for this…. I have heard him say he is in touch with terrorists in Pakistan….once I saw some Kashmiris in office who on directions from Prabir were given a bag full of money by Amit. He said that this money is for LeT.”

Gama 2 further mentions how reporters in Kashmir were hired who made videos on Burhan Wani’s death anniversary.

Purkayashta and Chakraborty directed that PPK NewsClick’s valuation be put at a higher scale, Gama 3 accuses.

The ‘protected’ witness says that confronted with this “wrong act”, the duo responded saying that they don’t have revenue generation since all funds have been used in the CAA NRC protests, farmers agitation, supporting Maoists groups and Kashmir separatism post Article 370 revocation.

This witness then accuses Purkayastha and Chakraborty of “tricking” to get a valuation certificate. Gama 4’s statements are also along similar lines about valuation certificates and inflow of cash routed from China.

Statements from those in police’s net 

Meanwhile, BEETA gives details of how payment was received through NewsClick. The witness also mentions Teesta’s refusal to publish a piece by an economist who praised the government’s policies. Later on, BEETA began writing for NewsClick instead of Sabrang India and charged Rs 4,000 per piece. This witness of stopping work with NewsClick after objections to its coverage of the CAA protests

Arrested for supplying weapons, BEETA 1’s statements are the shortest.

“XXX told me that some known and educated people are working with Maoists against the current government and are trying to terrorise the whole nation. XXX told me some names out of which I remember Gautam Navlakha and (Maoist leader) Narmada Akka….. XXX asked me to come to Delhi with cartridges….Navlakha would pay for the illegal weapons. Navlakha would be informed that the cartridges have arrived and that the money should be sent soon. In 2-3 hrs the money would be received. Once Navlakha asked me to change trains and buses while coming and to keep my phone switched off,” the statement reads.

BEETA 2 was earlier arrested in a fake currency case and also for allegedly supplying weapons to the Maoists. This witness narrates coming in touch with Commander Sainath (Maoists leader from Gadchiroli who was killed in 2018) and getting influenced by Maoists ideologies.

“Narmada Akka introduced me to Gautam Navlakha through someone. I would supply cartridges and Navlakha’s people would pay me in cash… I have also gone to Navlakha’s house several times,” BEETA 2’s statement says.

This witness further claims seeing Purkayashta and Chakraborty at Navlakha’s house and recognising them when police showed their pictures.

(Edited by Tony Rai)