CPI(M) condemns police action against news portal

The CPI(M) on Tuesday condemned the searches carried out by the Delhi Police at the offices of news portal ''The Wire'' and the houses of its editors following a complaint from BJP leader Amit Malviya, saying the action was vindictive.

Malviya's complaint was regarding a series of stories published by ''The Wire'' about social media company Meta, claiming that he had special censorship privileges through an Instagram programme called ''X-Check''.

''The Wire admitted it had erred and withdrew stories. To snatch devices and launch criminal proceedings on a defamation complaint by BJP's IT cell chief is vindictiveness and intimidation.

''No wonder India is among the bottom 30 countries on the World Press Freedom Index,'' Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in a tweet.

The Delhi Police carried out searches at the houses of the portal's founding editor Siddharth Varadarajan and deputy editor M K Venu on Monday.

A senior police officer said searches were conducted at the office of ''The Wire'' as well and all electronic devices relevant for the probe were seized.