The IFSO (Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations) unit of Delhi Police on Monday arrested Mohammad Zubair, co-founder of AltNews. Based on the complaint of a person, the Delhi Police had registered an FIR. Tagging Delhi Police on social media, alleging that Zubair had hurt him. Religious sentiments and legal action should be taken against him. Earlier this month, an FIR was registered against him under sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 295-A (malignant act, hurting religious sentiments) of the IPC.
DCP (IFSO) KPS Malhotra said, “During the investigation of a case registered at the Special Cell Police Station today, Mohammad Zubair joined the investigation and after there was sufficient evidence on record, he was arrested. He is being produced before a magistrate for further police custody remand for the purpose of investigation of the case. A senior police officer said the tweet in question was posted in 2020.
Soon after Zubair’s arrest, Alt-News co-founder Prateek Sinha posted a tweet, “Zubair was called today by the Special Cell, Delhi to investigate a 2020 case for which he was already high There was protection from arrest by the court. However, today at around 6.45 pm we were informed that he has been arrested in another FIR for which no notice was served, which is mandatory under the law for the sections under which he has been arrested. Nor are we being given a copy of the FIR despite repeated requests.
In another tweet, Sinha wrote, ‘After medical examination, Zubair is being taken to some unknown place. Neither Zubair’s lawyers are being told nor I am being told. We are with him in the police van. No cop is using any name tag.”
Mohammad Zubair runs a fact checking website called Alt News. He is accused of hurting the religious sentiments of the people in the name of alleged fact checking.