Free Speech

‘Intimidatory and Blatant Attack’: Editors Guild on IT ‘Survey’ at NewsClick, Newslaundry  https://thewire.in/media/intimidatory-blatant-attack-editors-guild-it-survey-newsclick-newslaundry-statement

The media body has termed the trend of the government agencies harassing and intimidating independent media as "dangerous", saying it undermines our constitutional democracy.

The IT department officials claimed that the visits on September 10 were ‘surveys’ and not ‘raids’.

“It’s learnt that the IT team made clones of Sekhri’s mobile and laptop, as well as some other office machines, and no hash value was given to them. This is clearly beyond the mandate of surveys as defined under Section 133(A) of the Income Tax Act, which only allows data pertaining to the investigation to be copied, and certainly not personal and professional data of journalists,” the Editors Guild said in its statement.

The Guild said it is ‘deeply concerned’ by the indiscriminate seize of journalists’ data, adding that it could include sensitive details such as details of sources, and could violate free speech and the freedom of the press.

Newslaundry Co-Founder On Tax "Survey": "Was Told Can't Speak To Lawyer"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq7BpuMhkqE Sep 11, 2021 A day after Income Tax officers spent over 12 hours at the offices of news websites NewsClick and Newslaundry - over tax evasion allegations - Newslaundry co-founder Abhinandan Sekhri told NDTV he was not allowed to call his lawyer or accountant during the "survey".

 ‘Have nothing to hide’: Day after tax ‘surveys’, Newslaundry, Newsclick deny any wrongdoing  https://scroll.in/latest/1005144/tax-surveys-at-newslaundry-i-was-told-i-cannot-speak-to-my-lawyer-says-co-founder 
Both the organisations said they have co-operated with the investigating agencies and maintained that the allegations against them were unfounded. 

During their visit, the officials had cloned electronic devices and asked for documents that belonged to the news organisation.

On Saturday, Sekhri said that the officials looked through all the electronic devices in Newslaundry’s office.

“My personal mobile phone, laptop, and a couple of office machines were taken control of and all the data on them downloaded by the IT team,” the news website’s co-founder said in a statement. “In my understanding this (taking all data from my laptop and mobile phone) violated my fundamental right to privacy.”

आख़िर ट्विटर पर अजीत अंजुम को लेकर क्यों हुआ इतना हंगामा ॥ Ajit Anjum ॥ Twitter #twitterunlockAjitanjum  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsr6gQ2rkKw 
Apr 22, 2022

https://www.truescoopnews.com/newsdetail/twitterunlockajitanjum-trends-after-journalist-account-was-blocked-who-ajit-anjum-fans-demand-justice #TwitterunlockAjitAnjum trends after journalist account was blocked, Who is Ajit Anjum; Fans demand justice
Ajit Anjum, a YouTuber turned YouTuber after being cleared of mainstream media, is notorious for his one-sided 'objective' reporting..  Ajit Anjum is a truthful and neutral reporter. Twitter if you have some shame in you, unlock him. People deserve to know the truth. Twitter does not be a hindrance in the free flow of truth, says One User.

It is a shame @Twitter, @TwitterIndia that you have kept the account of @ajitanjum locked because he helped India during the Covid Pandemic. Please, unlock it ASAP.

Author : Rohit Gupta

Tax ‘surveys’ conducted at NewsClick, Newslaundry offices in Delhi  9th Sept,2021 https://scroll.in/latest/1005108/income-tax-department-conducts-surveys-at-offices-of-newsclick-newslaundry Phones of Newslaundry employees were taken away before the operations at its office began at 11.45 am.
Income Tax officials on Friday visited the offices of news websites Newslaundry and Newsclick in Delhi to conduct what they claimed were “survey operations”, PTI reported. The operation aimed to verify tax payment details and remittances made by the organisations, officials said.

Tax "Surveys" At Offices Of News Sites NewsClick, Newslaundry  NDTV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEsYryXOc9s Sep 11, 2021   

IT 'surveys' at Newsclick, Newslaundry offices in New Delhi | Oneindia News  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9QPh2xKC3o Sep 10, 2021