A Delhi court on Tuesday extended by four days the custodial interrogation of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair in a case related to a tweet he had posted in 2018 that was deemed to have hurt religious sentiments.
Earlier, cops had produced Zubair before a court here in the case.
In the court, Zubair defended himself saying, as quoted by ndtv.com. "I have been arrested because I have been challenging people who are influential." Following are some of his quotes, courtesy ndtv.com.
- They have seized my phone. I have already told the police that I use only his mobile for the tweet and not the laptop. Why do they need my laptop now?
- They are seeking my laptop because I have been challenging many a thing... if the police is acting malafide... this court cannot turn blind eye.
- I used to use a different phone in 2018 and I lost that phone. This is not the first time am saying this. I have already said this in the earlier case before the HC and I also have the lost report, by threatening me, they not gonna get the lost phone.
- This is the abuse of power by Delhi Police
- Because I have been challenging people... maybe they are influential
- Why was the tweet dug out ? Who is playing mischief here ?
- The tweet is of March 2018 and in June 2022, Police taking action. That needs to be looked into.
- Honeymooners and Hanuman Bhakts can't be the two groups in this case for Sec 153A to kick in
The police produced Zubair before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria on the expiry of his one-day custodial interrogation.
Delhi police on Tuesday arrested Zubair, one of the founders of the fact-checking website AltNews, on charges of hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity.
Ironically, the same police force, which reports to the Union home ministry headed by Amit Shah, has not yet arrested the now-axed BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Navin Jindal for their derogatory comments against Prophet Mohammed earlier this month.
Sharma’s comment had provoked a backlash in West Asia, landed India in the biggest diplomatic crisis in recent memory and triggered protests in several parts of the country. At least two youths were killed in India in alleged police firing after some of the protests turned violent.
Sources said Zubair, who has used his Twitter handle @zoo_bear to relentlessly call out the fake narratives of the Right wing, had been under the scanner ever since he tweeted a video clip that showed Nupur making the derogatory statements.
