New Delhi: Famous journalist and Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair was on Monday night sent to one-day police remand after being arrested for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of a particular community. Alt News co-founder Pratik Sinha was also present with Mohammed Zubair.
“Counsel for Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair had moved bail application which was declined by the court on grounds of “not finding merits.” Delhi Police’s application for 1-day police remand was granted by the court,” Delhi Police officials told news agency ANI.
Mohammed Zubair was booked under sections 153A (promotion of enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) and 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Delhi Police said.
According to Delhi Police, a complaint was received against the co-founder through Twitter regarding a tweet by Zubair. He was called for questioning today after which the IFSO unit of the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Zubair, police said.
During the course of investigation of a case registered u/s 153A/295A IPC against Mohammed Zubair, he joined in the investigation and after having sufficient evidence on record, he was arrested. He is being produced before the duty magistrate for seeking further PC remand, news agency ANI reported.
Taking to Twitter, AltNews co-founder Pratik Sinha said Mohammed Zubair was called to Delhi for questioning in a different case but arrested in this one. Mandatory notice was not given, he alleged. “No FIR copy is being given to us despite repeated requests,” he tweeted.
Please note. pic.twitter.com/gMmassggbx
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) June 27, 2022
Notably, Mohammed Zubair was arrested by Delhi Police Special Cell after a Twitter handle alerted the police about tweets that were detrimental to communal peace and harmony.
Giving details, a senior police official told news agency IANS that it was a separate case lodged against Zubair under sections 153-A and 295 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in which he has been arrested. After the arrest, Mohammed Zubair will be produced before the Patiala House court.
“Our team of The Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police’s special cell has arrested him,” said the official.
Delhi Police said Zubair was evasive on the questions and neither provided the necessary technical equipment for the purpose of the investigation nor cooperated in the investigation.
The Special Cell will also write to Twitter to preserve his tweets of six months to one year.
It must be noted that Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 153A is invoked in cases linked to “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence” and 295A is invoked for “deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs”.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor called his arrest an “assault on truth”, and demanded his immediate release.
India’s few fact-checking services, especially @AltNews, perform a vital service in our post-truth political environment, rife with disinformation. They debunk falsehoods whoever perpetrates them. To arrest @zoo_bear is an assault on truth. He should be released immediately.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 27, 2022
Established in 2017, AltNews is one of the world’s most prominent fact-checking platforms. Its founders have for long time been facing trolling and police cases by right-wing groups for years. Recently, one case was filed against Mohammed Zubair in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district. The charges were similar to the ones for which he’s been arrested in Delhi now.
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