Microblogging site X (formerly Twitter) suspended the account of online news portal NewsClick, days after it faced allegations of spreading Chinese propaganda in India. The company's account page currently says "Account suspended. Twitter suspends accounts that violate the Twitter Rules".
NewsClick has been facing heat after a recent report of the New York Times claimed that the portal was part of a global network that received funding from American billionaire Neville Roy Singham, who allegedly works closely with the Chinese government media machine.
The issue has stirred up a political storm in the country with the BJP alleging that the funds pumped into NewsClick have been used to create an anti-India environment. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said in parliament that he had documents pertaining to e-mail exchanges between Left leader Prakash Karat and Singham.
The Enforcement Directorate, as part of its criminal investigation against NewsClick, is probing alleged fraudulent foreign funds infusion of more than Rs 86 crore from entities linked to Singham into its holding company (PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt. Ltd.) and is expected to file a charge sheet in this case soon.
The ED has moved the Delhi High Court seeking to vacate its order that granted interim protection from coercive action to online news portal NewsClick and its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha.