On Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a two-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate six cases that have been lodged against already arrested Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair. Zubair is locked up in Delhi’s Tihar jail for making derogatory comments against Hindu Gods and Goddesses.
According to the reports, the SIT has been headed by IG Preetinder Singh, and also DIG Amit Kumar Verma has been made a part of the team. The SIT is to investigate six cases that have been lodged in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Ghaziabad, Hathras, and Muzaffarnagar. Of the total six cases, two cases are lodged in Hathras district while one case each is registered in Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Ghaziabad, and Muzaffarnagar.
Zubair is held in Tihar jail after he was detained on June 27 by Delhi police in connection with an FIR filed against him for allegedly hurting religious emotions through a tweet written in 2018. According to Prashant Kumar, assistant director-general of police, law, and order, the SIT has been directed to conduct an immediate investigation and file a charge sheet in court.
Two cases in Hathras
Reports mention that one of the Hathras FIRs was registered on June 10 under sections 147 (attempting to cause riot), 149 (causing unlawful assembly with common intention), 153A (promoting enmity between religious groups), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and Section 7 of Criminal Law Amendment. The investigations in the case are underway.
The second FIR in Hathras was filed on July 4 at City Kotwali, Hathras, under sections 153A, 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 298 (intent to wound religious feelings), and 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of the IPC. According to the reports, the warrant has been issued by the CMJ court in the case and Zubar will be presented before Court in the case.
Ghaziabad
According to the official, the third FIR was lodged on June 15, last year at Ghaziabad’s Loni Border police station under IPC sections 153 (provocation to riot), 153A, 295A, 505 (statements creating public mischief), 120B, and 34 (acts by multiple individuals in furtherance of same intention). The investigation into the case is underway.
Muzzafarnagar
The fourth FIR was filed on July 24, last year, at Muzaffarnagar’s Charthawal police station, under IPC sections 192 (falsifying evidence), 504 (insult with intent to incite a breach of peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation). A chargesheet has been filed in the case. The matter stands pending in the Court.
Sitapur and Lakhimpur Kheri
On July 1, Zubair was charged with IPC Section 295A and IT Act Section 67 at Sitapur’s Khairabad police station, and on September 18 last year, the case was registered against him under Section 153A of the IPC at Lakhimpur Kheri’s Mohammadi police station. While he was granted temporary release in the Sitapur case, a Lakhimpur court sentenced him to 14 days in judicial prison and will hear his bail motion on Wednesday.
Zubair was detained a week earlier by Delhi Police for infringing on religious sentiments. The Sitapur police in Uttar Pradesh have requested his detention in a case involving allegedly offensive tweets directed towards seers. On July 8, the Supreme Court granted Zubair five-day temporary bail in the Sitapur case. Zubair applied for bail in a Delhi court on Monday.
