Fact checking website Alt News has said payment gateway Razorpay has shared the website’s donor data with the Delhi Police without informing it and even as there was not even a preliminary investigation of any violation in its part. In a statement on Tuesday, Alt News said that Razorpar initially disabled its account but reactivated it later.
Alt News reiterated that only Indian bank accounts can make donations to Alt News and foreign credit cards were never enabled by Razorpay. “Therefore, allegations of Alt News having received funds from foreign sources from whom we cannot receive donations are false.” It added false allegations were part of attempt to shut down the website. It added the website is financially independent and relies on donations and grants to meet expenses
Public prosecutor Atul Shrivastav told a court last week that Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, who was arrested on June 29 over a 2018 tweet for hurting religious sentiments, received “money from Pakistan, Singapore, and the UAE and Riyadh”. He added police were checking the finances he received through Razor Pay.
Razorpay also issued a statement reiterating transactions on the platform are safe and the company is fully abiding and compliant with necessary laws and regulations. “We had received a written order from the legal authorities under section 91 CRPC and we are mandated to comply with the same as per the regulation under the provisions of Indian Law. We will continue to hold the highest standard of data security, defend our customers at all times and also continue to abide by the laws and regulation of India.”
{{/usCountry}}Razorpay also issued a statement reiterating transactions on the platform are safe and the company is fully abiding and compliant with necessary laws and regulations. “We had received a written order from the legal authorities under section 91 CRPC and we are mandated to comply with the same as per the regulation under the provisions of Indian Law. We will continue to hold the highest standard of data security, defend our customers at all times and also continue to abide by the laws and regulation of India.”
{{/usCountry}}Deputy police commissioner KPS Malhotra said Razorpay has provided the data and that it is only a payment gateway which can never authenticate the transactions. “The real data is needed from the banks, which will verify the account holders and authenticate the transactions. These details are still awaited.”