UP court sends AltNews' Zubair to 14-days’ judicial custody in newly added case

Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair on Monday (July 11) was sent to another 14 days of judicial custody by a local court in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri in a case in which he has been accused of promoting enmity between groups.

Even though the Supreme Court on Friday (July 8) granted him five days’ interim relief in a case filed against him for calling Hindu seers “hate mongers” in a tweet, on the same day the Lakhimpur Kheri police had served him a warrant to appear in court in the new case.

Zubair’s counsel Mukul Mishra had informed the press that police have added a new charge against him, which is – “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language” when his bail application was being heard.

The warrant was issued by Mohammadi ACJM’s court to Sitapur district prison officials.

Despite Friday’s bail, Zubair had stayed in custody as per the order of a Delhi court’s in the Lakhimpur Kheri case.

Also read: SC grants 5-day bail to Alt News’ co-founder Mohammed Zubair

Zubair is currently lodged in Sitapur jail in Uttar Pradesh and was brought there from Delhi’s Tihar jail on Thursday (July 7) after an UP court granted his custody to the state police till July 14.

The FIR on the basis of which Zubair’s custody was extended, was filed based on the complaint by a reporter named Ashish Katiyar on November 25, 2021. In his complaint, Katiyar had accused Zubair of misleading people through his tweet about his TV channel.

On Monday, Zubair was presented in court through video conferencing from Sitapur Jail and charges under sections 153B, 505(1)(B) and 505(2) were added against his name.