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Prominent journalists in India faced police raids on their homes on Tuesday, leading campaigners to condemn the government's actions as an effort to suppress free speech. The founder of NewsClick, a news website, was arrested under an anti-terror law as part of an investigation into the platform's funding. Human rights advocates denounced the move as a ruthless crackdown on independent journalists, while government officials maintained that the authorities were simply carrying out their duties. Tuesday's coordinated raids, conducted at 30 locations, represented one of the largest and most extensive operations against Indian media in recent years. In addition to the arrest of NewsClick's founder, police also detained the website's head of human resources. The investigation reportedly centers on allegations that NewsClick received illegal funds from China, which the organization has denied. Journalists, news organizations, and human rights campaigners have condemned the raids and arrests, viewing them as another instance of the government's arbitrary and intimidating behavior towards the media. On Wednesday, journalists and writers staged a protest in New Delhi, where they criticized the raids as an attempt to silence dissenting voices. They also highlighted the inclusion of intellectuals, writers, and journalists under the definition of terrorists in an amendment to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Observers believe that the government is increasing its power ahead of the upcoming elections through its actions. Journalists Abhisar Sharma, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Aunindyo Chakravarty, Urmilesh, Bhasha Singh, popular satirist Sanjay Rajoura, and historian Sohail Hashmi were among those questioned and taken to police stations. Searches were also conducted at NewsClick's office in Delhi. The raids are reportedly linked to a case filed against NewsClick in August following an article by The New York Times accusing the website of receiving funds from an American millionaire to propagate "Chinese propaganda." Historian Ramachandra Guha described the raids as brutal, vicious, and draconian. He noted the predominance of Hindi journalists at NewsClick in a Hindi media landscape that is subservient to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Guha also pointed out that NewsClick had been exposing crony capitalism. Over the past few years, several media outlets in India have faced investigations for alleged financial wrongdoing, raising concerns about press freedom in the country. For instance, tax officials searched BBC offices earlier this year after the broadcaster aired a critical documentary in the UK about Modi's role in the 2002 Gujarat riots. Tax authorities also accused the Dainik Bhaskar newspaper of tax evasion in 2021 due to its coverage of the government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Amnesty International criticized the NewsClick raids and the arrests, stating that journalism is not a crime and that these actions represent the Indian government's ongoing attempts to destroy independent and critical media.