American Millionaire Summoned in Money Laundering Probe Connected to NewsClick Case
The Enforcement Directorate has escalated its investigation into the alleged money laundering case associated with NewsClick, summoning American millionaire Neville Roy Singham for questioning. Sources indicate that Singham, based in Shanghai, has been served the summons via the Ministry of External Affairs and through email, following a Delhi court’s issuance of a Letter Rogatory seeking assistance from Chinese courts, as direct summons were previously declined by Chinese authorities.
NewsClick, under investigation for purported links to China-linked entities in broadcasting Chinese propaganda in India, implicates Singham as per a report by The New York Times, alleging his involvement in the global dissemination of such content. Singham, named as an accused by the ED in the ongoing probe, vehemently refutes these allegations.
The investigation stems from a complaint by the Delhi Police and recent raids on the homes and offices of several journalists associated with NewsClick, including founder Prabir Purkayastha. Subsequently, Purkayastha and others were arrested, with the ED now pursuing custody of Purkayastha, currently held in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.
The FIR alleges that NewsClick received around ₹9.59 crore in funding from a US-registered entity in violation of FDI laws, attributing the infusion of foreign funds to Neville Roy Singham. It asserts that these funds, allegedly routed from China in a disguised manner, were used to produce critical content targeting domestic policies and development projects.
NewsClick has staunchly denied all allegations, highlighting that despite multiple raids and scrutiny by various agencies, no formal money laundering complaint has been filed against them. In a statement, the website emphasized the absence of any accusations from the Enforcement Directorate regarding money laundering in over two years since the raids commenced in 2021.
The case continues to unravel amid the legal challenges mounted by those implicated, with the investigation poised at a critical juncture awaiting further proceedings and responses from the involved parties.
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