4 days’ police custody for fact-checker Mohammed Zubair
He was arrested on Monday night for a tweet of 2018.
Mohammed Zubair, a co-founder of fact-checking site Alt News, was today sent to four days’ police custody by a Delhi court over a tweet of 2018.
He was arrested last night over a 2018 tweet, which is a clip from filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1983 film Kissi Se Na Kehna, which the Delhi Police said had hurt religious sentiments. He had been sent to a day’s custody by a duty magistrate last night.
His lawyer told a Delhi court today that he was arrested for the 2018 tweet even though it was a screenshot from a film cleared by the censor board. “Many have tweeted the same, the only difference between those handles and mine is my faith, my name and my profession,” lawyer Vrinda Grover said, referring to his being a Muslim and a journalist.
The lawyer denounced the police claim that he had edited the image adding that there was no basis to the charges that he was hurting religious sentiments or promoting enmity. “This is not a place of worship. It is a joke on honeymooners.. the entire case borders on absurdity,” she said, arguing for bail. The lawyer said that police were abusing power. “What has happened between 2018-2022 because of this tweet?… My client is being targeted for his work. He may be challenging people who are powerful but that can’t be a reason for his harassment,” she said.
Delhi Police however said “this is a continuing offence,” citing another tweet.
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