Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of fact-cheking website Alt News has been arrested by Delhi Police on 27th June, 2022 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of Hindus and promoting enmity.
What is the Entire Matter?
The police said that they had lodged an FIR against Mohammed Zubair, based on a complaint registered by a twitter handle @balajikijaiin this month. The man who filed case against Zubair said that he had tweeted a questionable image and deliberately in salt the god of a particular religion. The tweet was posted by Zubair in March 2018.
The case against him was registered under Section 153A (promoting enmity between two groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, language etc.) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code.
About Mohammed Zubair
Mohammad Zubair is a former telecom engineer form the Southern IT hub of Bengaluru who along with Pratik Sinha, a software engineer from Ahmedabad, Gujarat founded the fact-checking website Alt News in 2017.
Zubair is the person who highlighted the comment made by the suspended Bhartiya Janta Party leader Nupur Sharma against Prophet Muhammad on a TV debate, which led to an outrage and harsh criticism of Indian government from many Muslim countries including Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and many others.
Following the incident, all the host countries summoned the Indian envoys in their respective countries and sought apology from the Government of India. Our country also witnessed mass protest seeking arrest and punishment for Nupur Sharma for her remark against the Prophet.
Here are the tweets of Zubair from 2018 that have been circulating on social media, one user find his Hanuman Joke post from Bollywood movie ‘Kissi Se Na Kehna (1983)’:
That honeymoon/hanuman joke is an unedited screenshot from a 1983 movie – Kissi Se Na Kehna, directed by legendary Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Watch the scene here-https://t.co/IB6dT65Mon
— Pyaar Se Mario (@SquareGas) June 27, 2022
'Bajrang Bali' ki aarti karna shuru karo, 'hanuman chalisa' ka path karo, bandar kabhi nuksaan nahin pahuchayega pic.twitter.com/QlNPcvvDtk
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 6, 2018
Also, This poster inspired me to come up with a parody facebook page 'Unofficial: Subramanian Swamy' in 2014. 🙂 https://t.co/CsYs2DaEAs
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) October 30, 2021
Sanjay showing Facebook live video of Kurukshetra war of Mahabharat to Dhritrashtra. : Biplab Deb. pic.twitter.com/0L8itGqTR8
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) April 17, 2018
Opposition Party Leaders’ Reaction on Zubair’s Arrest
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemn the arrest of Zubair and criticised the BJP Government on his tweet, said “Truth always triumphs over tyranny”.
Every person exposing BJP's hate, bigotry and lies is a threat to them.
Arresting one voice of truth will only give rise to a thousand more.
Truth ALWAYS triumphs over tyranny. #DaroMat pic.twitter.com/hIUuxfvq6s
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 27, 2022
Another senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor called the arrest of Zubair as an “assault on truth”.
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
Congress MP Jayaram Ramesh also reacted on this matter. Have a look:
Altnews & @zoo_bear have been in the forefront of exposing the bogus claims of the Vishguru, who has struck back with a vengeance characteristic of him. Delhi Police, reporting to the Union Home Minister, has long lost any pretensions of professionalism and independence. https://t.co/OPi1MMth5g
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 27, 2022
Alt news co-founder Pratik Sinha’s reaction on Zubair’s arrest:
Please note. pic.twitter.com/gMmassggbx
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) June 27, 2022
Without providing any information including a copy of the FIR or remand application in Zubair’s case, we are told that he’s to be produced before a duty magistrate at his residence in Burari. He is currently detained inside a police bus in Burari for more than an hour.
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) June 27, 2022
