MHA referred NewsClick case to CBI in August

India's home ministry in August had sent a reference to the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe alleged Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act violations by Newsclick, the portal in the eye of a storm for its alleged China bias and questionable patronage.

The First Information Report (FIR) names American businessman Neville Roy Singham and American lawyer and investor Jason Pfetcher. The CBI FIR also names Newsclick founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha and unknown others.

The FIR has been registered under relevant provisions of the FCRA Act, 2010. According to the FIR, the offences were committed between 2017 and 2023. A reference was sent by an under-secretary to the home ministry regarding alleged violations of provisions of FCRA, 2010, by PPK Newsclick Studio and its directors and others.


The agency on Wednesday had carried out searches at two premises of the news website. It is alleged that the website received unexplained export remittance of about Rs 28.46 crore through four foreign entities in violation of FCRA provisions.

There was also an unexplained receipt of about Rs 9.59 crore in foreign funds by incorrect characterisation of the money as foreign direct investment, according to the CBI.

The agency said the news website violated provisions of the FCRA, 2010, which prohibited acceptance of foreign contribution by companies engaged in production and broadcast of audio-visual news or current affairs programmes through any electronic mode, or by any correspondent or columnist or writer or owner of such a company.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also probing the website since 2021 and has already attached assets belonging to Purkayastha.