New Delhi, May 15: The Supreme Court on Wednesday declared as "invalid" the arrest of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha in a case under the anti-terror law, and directed that he be released from custody. The order was issued by a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta.

According to the FIR, the news portal allegedly received huge funds from China to "disrupt the sovereignty of India" and cause disaffection against the country. NewsClick Row: Delhi Police File Over 9,000-Page Charge Sheet Under UAPA Against News Portal Founder-Editor Prabir Purkayastha.

Supreme Court Declares Arrest Of NewsClick Founder Prabir Purkayastha Invalid, Orders His Release

It also alleged that Purkayastha conspired with a group -- People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) -- to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)