New Delhi’The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to interfere with the arrest and subsequent police remand of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and portal’s human resources department head Amit Chakravarty in a case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA.

Purkayastha and Chakravarty had contended that the grounds of arrest were not supplied to them when they were apprehended and the trial court order of remand was passed in the absence of their lawyers. Dismissing the petitions, Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said there was no “procedural infirmity” or violation of legal or constitutional provisions in relation to the arrest and the remand order is sustainable in law. The judge said the grounds of arrest needed to be “informed” to the arrestee within 24 hours and furnishing of such grounds, in written, was not mandated by the UAPA.

The court, however, said it would be “advisable” that the police henceforth, provide grounds of arrest in writing after redacting “sensitive material”. “The petition, being devoid of any merit, along with pending applications, is dismissed,” said the court in its order passed on the petition by the portal’s founder.

Press Trust of India