IJU welcomes Delhi High Court verdict quashing FIR against NewsClick and Prabir Purkayasth

NewsClick Founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha. File | Photo credit: Dinesh Joshi

The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has welcomed the Delhi High Court’s verdict quashing the FIR registered by the Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi against NewsClick and its editor Prabir Purkayasth.

IJU President Balwinder Singh Jammu, General Secretary D. Soma Sundar and Vice-President Y. Narender Reddy said in a statement that the verdict was a moral victory for everyone advocating media freedom in the country. They called it a slap in the face to governments trying to suppress independent voices and critical journalism.

The IJU said that by quashing the FIR and finding that the law had been misused in the matter, the Delhi High Court had sent a strong warning to the ruling dispensation. It demanded that the authorities stop the witch-hunt against independent media and that all other fabricated cases registered against NewsClick be withdrawn immediately.

The union said that at a time when “so-called mainstream media organizations” served corporate interests and political propaganda, NewsClick sought to amplify the public’s voice. The portal has consistently reported on farmers’ protests in Delhi and questioned those in power, the union said.

Published – 15 Jun 2026 11:27 IST