NewsClick case: Fresh ED summons to American millionaire Neville Roy Singham

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued fresh summons to American millionaire Neville Roy Singham for questioning in connection with its money laundering probe linked to online news portal Newsclick, the website in the eye of a storm for its alleged China bias and questionable patronage.

Singham, who is accused of spreading Chinese propaganda in India, is reportedly based in Shanghai, China. The summons has been issued under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. People in the know said the notice has been issued after a local court issued Letters Rogatory at the request of the federal agency seeking to record Singham's statement.

The first summon was issued to Singham by the ED last year. The fresh summons has been issued to Singham on his email id through the Ministry of External Affairs, said people quoted above. Singham has denied the allegations levelled against him.


It might be mentioned here that the Central Bureau of Investigation last month, on a reference from the ministry of home affairs (MHA), had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Singham and American lawyer and investor Jason Pfetcher. The FIR also named Newsclick founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha and unknown others. The FIR was 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 MHA regarding alleged violations of provisions of FCRA, 2010, by PPK Newsclick Studio, its directors and others.

Last month, the CBI had carried out searches at two premises of the news website. It is alleged that the website received unexplained export remittance of about ₹28.46 crore through four foreign entities in violation of FCRA provisions.

The ED had first raided the premises of NewsClick in Saidulajab area of the national capital in September, 2021, on charges of money laundering.