Delhi police on Monday searched the residences of The Wire’s founding editors Siddharth Varadarajan, M.K. Venu and Sidharth Bhatia and deputy editor and executive news producer Jahnavi Sen in connection with an FIR registered by BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya accusing them of publishing “fake stories”.

“The searches were conducted in connection with the FIR. We are checking their devices and collecting evidence,” a police officer said.

CPI Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam said in a Facebook post: “Hands Off ‘The Wire’. Truth will triumph.”

Journalist Tunku Varadarajan tweeted: “The @DelhiPolice Crime Branch just searched the house of my brother @svaradarajan & seized his phone & laptop. Why seize these when his publication has acknowledged/ retracted a mistake? This seizure is repugnant in a democracy. Indians should raise their voices in fierce protest.”

The news portal had retracted reports that said Malviya had used special privileges given to him by Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) to take down posts critical of the BJP.

The portal had apologised to its readers and promised to tighten its vetting processes.

Malviya’s complaint says The Wire “forged documents with a view to malign and tarnish” his reputation.

The Wire had lodged a police complaint accusing one of its employee researchers, Devesh Kumar, of supplying it with fabricated material with the intent to damage its reputation and harm its employees.