NewsClick arrests: Delhi court allows Prabir Purkayastha to meet lawyer; no order yet on supply of FIR copy

NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in connection with the Chinese funding case, was allowed to meet his lawyer by a Delhi court..However, no order was passed yet by Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur on supply of the first information report (FIR) to the accused.Purkayastha was arrested along with NewsClick's human resources head Amit Chakraborty following raids conducted by the Delhi Police on Tuesday. .Both were remanded to seven days of police custody on Wednesday morning. They later moved a Patiala House court in Delhi seeking a copy of the FIR..Appearing for Purkayastha, advocate Arshdeep Singh argued that they have a right to get the FIR copy. "Section 41D, CrPC (right of arrested person to meet an advocate of his choice during interrogation) is an absolute right. Section 41D flows from Article 22. After arrest during custody his right to consult with his counsel absolute. I am saying fix a time and I will meet him," advocate Singh argued."They have not given us the remand order either," he added..The judge said she would decide on the supply of the FIR copy tomorrow, although she allowed an application by Purkayastha to visit his lawyer. .Further, the Court ordered that a copy of the remand order be provided to both Purkayastha and Chakraborty. Notice was issued on their application to get a copy of the FIR as well as on an application by Chakraborty to be allowed visitation rights so that he may be administered certain medication. The matter will be heard tomorrow at 10 AM. .Notably, Singh also informed the Delhi court that a petition will be filed before the Delhi High Court challenging the FIR and the arrests. "There is already an EOW FIR and they didn't inform the High Court about the present FIR. We will also challenge the arrest," Singh argued. .Purkayastha and Chakraborty were arrested yesterday following a series of raids which were conducted in the wake of allegations made in a New York Times article that NewsClick was being paid to boost Chinese propaganda.In August, a New York Times investigation had accused NewsClick of being an organisation funded by a network linked with US millionaire Neville Roy Singham, to allegedly promote Chinese propaganda.Besides the UAPA case, Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is also probing NewsClick. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also registered a case against the website based on the EOW FIR. The Delhi High Court has ordered both ED and EOW not to take any coercive steps against Purkayastha or NewsClick in those cases.