NEW DELHI: Historian Sohail Hashmi was one of the individuals on whose door the Delhi police came knocking on Tuesday in connection with the action against web portal New Click. Speaking to this newspaper, Hashmi said the police action was a fishing expedition by the ruling government and he was targeted since he identifies as a Muslim.
Hashmi claimed that the police never specified the reason behind the action. “They knocked on our door around 6 a.m. They searched our property. They barged into my bedroom and also tried to enter my daughter’s room. They told me that the action was regarding an FIR registered against NewsClick. After much persistence, the cops produced a search warrant.
However, they never told me why I was made a party to the case as I have no business with the news portal,” he recounted. The historian and heritage conservationist said the officials asked him to identify a list of names which included scribes and student leaders. He said he was also asked to produce any published material in his possession relating to the anti-CAA protests and the farmers’ agitation.
He said the operation lasted for nearly two hours. “In the end, they confiscated my phone, four pen drives, laptop and a hard disk drive unsealed. We have posted an objection letter about this to the investigative officer of the case,” he said.
Hashmi said that he has no professional relationship with NewsClick and knew its founder Prabir Purkayastha as he was a junior to him in the JNU. Scientist and social activist Gauhar Raza condemned the development. “He is a person who teaches history and gives lectures on the monuments and cultural diversity of the country. He has nothing to do with the NewsClick case and is being targeted only because the government wants a Muslim angle in its theory,” he said.
Police seal NewsClick office
The Delhi Police sealed the office of news portal NewsClick in connection with its probe into a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations that it received money for pro-China propaganda.
‘Stop harassment by govt agencies’
The Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC) demanded that such “harassment by the government agencies” be stopped. The Press Club of India (PCI) extended its solidarity with the journalists affected by the raids
