Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has condemned the multiple raids conducted by Delhi Police at premises connected to NewsClick and journalists associated with the news portal.

In a statement released on Tuesday, IJU President K Sreenivas Reddy and Secretary General Balwinder Singh Jammu described the raids as extremely disturbing, particularly as the police have resorted to coercive action without prior notice or warrant and electronic gadgets belonging to journalists have been seized.

A Special Cell official of Delhi Police this morning conducted raids on at least 30 places, including the residences of several journalists working or writing for the news portal NewsClick.

They seized the laptops and mobiles of the journalists and some of them have been detained.

The police are yet to officially disclose details of any related case.

Media reports suggest that the raids relate to an August 2023 case under the UAPA.

Earlier, Income tax department officials also raided once and the same organisation in 2021.

The IJU leaders took strong objection to the raids as they seemed arbitrary and intimidating.

They said the seizure of laptops and mobiles of journalists is nothing but a blatant invasion of their privacy.

These raids and detentions are to be treated as acts aimed at muzzling the media as the journalists raided are prominent voices of dissent against the government, the IJU leaders said.

(With UNI inputs)