Delhi court takes cognisance of charge sheet against NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha under UAPA
New Delhi (PTI): A Delhi court on Tuesday took cognisance of a charge sheet filed against NewsClick founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha under anti-terror law UAPA in a case based on allegations that the news portal received money to spread pro-China propaganda.
Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur said there was sufficient evidence against the accused in the case and directed the prosecution to supply a copy of the charge sheet to Purkayastha.
The judge fixed May 31 for arguments on framing of charges in the matter.
The court had in January allowed NewsClick HR Head Amit Chakravarty to turn approver in the case.
The judge had pardoned Chakravarty, arrested in the case, on his application that claimed he had material information which he was willing to disclose to Delhi police, which is investigating the matter.
The Special Cell of Delhi Police had arrested Chakravarty and Purkayastha on October 3 last year. They are currently in judicial custody.
According to the FIR, a large amount of funds to the news portal allegedly came from China to "disrupt the sovereignty of India" and cause disaffection against the country.
It also alleged Purkayastha conspired with a group -- People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) -- to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Raids were conducted at 88 locations in Delhi and seven in other states on October 3 against the suspects named in the FIR and those that surfaced in the analysis of data, police said.
Around 300 electronic gadgets were also seized from the offices of NewsClick and the residences of the journalists who were examined.
Following the raids, 46 individuals, including nine female journalists, were questioned by the Special Cell.
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Meta under fire for approving politically motivated ads during Lok Sabha elections
New Delhi: During the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, faces criticism for approving politically motivated advertisements containing hate speech and disinformation. According to a recent report, Meta approved several ads manipulated by Artificial Intelligence (AI), spreading disinformation and targeting specific demographics.
The report reveals that despite rejecting some ads, including one targeting Prime Minister Modi for misinformation, Meta approved others that targeted Muslims, violating its own policies on hate speech, bullying, harassment, misinformation, and violence incitement. These approved ads contained slurs against Muslims and Hindu supremacist language, further exacerbating tensions.
India Civil Watch International (ICWI) and Ekō, an accountability organization, submitted 22 ads to Meta, of which 14 were approved, highlighting the platform's failure to detect harmful content. Although Meta stated it requires advertisers to disclose their use of AI, critics argue that the platform lacks effective measures to address hate speech and disinformation.
Meta's history of failing to curb Islamophobia on its platforms adds to the skepticism regarding its ability to regulate harmful content during critical events like elections. With concerns over the proliferation of hate speech and disinformation online, questions arise about Meta's responsibility in safeguarding its users and ensuring a fair electoral process.
