NEW DELHI: A day after the arrest of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, the Patiala House Court on Wednesday allowed him to meet his lawyer.With NewsClick saying it is yet to get the copy of the FIR and as many as 18 media bodies writing to CJI DY Chandrachud seeking his intervention in cases where journalists are facing action from the government, Delhi Police, in its remand application, alleged that Purkayastha tried to peddle a narrative, both globally and domestically, that Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh are disputed territories.
In the city, members of civil society and journalists staged protests against the arrests of Purkayastha and NewsClick HR head Amit Chakravarty. Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur on Wednesday issued a notice on the supply of the FIR to the accused and also sought a response from Delhi Police on an application seeking to provide medication to Chakravarty. Both accused were sent to seven-day police custody.
As per the court order, Purkayastha’s counsel can meet him daily for one hour during the remand. The court will take up the case for further consideration at 10 a.m. on Thursday after the police submitted that its Special Public Prosecutor was not present to argue the matter.