The Delhi High Court has issued a two-week notice to NewsClick and its co-founder Prashant Kanojia in a money laundering case. The court has asked the news website and Kanojia to file a reply to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) application seeking to attach their properties.
The ED had filed the application in June 2023, alleging that NewsClick had received ₹3.28 crore from shell companies in the guise of donations. The agency also alleged that Kanojia had used the money for personal expenses and to fund his lavish lifestyle.
NewsClick and Kanojia have denied the allegations, saying that the money was received from legitimate sources. They have also challenged the ED's jurisdiction to investigate the case.
The Delhi High Court will hear the ED's application on September 6, 2023.
The case against NewsClick is the latest in a series of legal battles that the news website has faced in recent years. In 2021, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided NewsClick's offices in connection with a case of alleged forgery and criminal conspiracy. The CBI has since closed the case, but NewsClick is still facing a defamation case filed by the Uttar Pradesh government.
It remains to be seen whether the Delhi High Court will uphold the ED's application to attach NewsClick's properties. However, the case is a reminder of the challenges that independent media outlets face in India.
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