Delhi High Court agrees to hear Zubair’s plea on Friday

Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair’s plea challenged his police remand in a case related to an objectionable tweet he had posted in 2018 against a Hindu deity.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday agreed to hear on Friday Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair’s plea challenging his police remand in a case related to an objectionable tweet he had posted in 2018 against a Hindu deity.

Mr. Zubair’s plea was mentioned by advocate Vrinda Grover before a Vacation Bench of the High Court, which posted it for hearing on Friday.

On Tuesday, a local court extended by four days the custodial interrogation of Mr. Zubair in the case after the Delhi police said he did not cooperate with the investigating agency. Mr. Zubair was produced before the court on the expiry of his one-day custodial interrogation.

The Delhi police said the custodial interrogation of Mr. Zubair was required to gather information regarding the device from which the tweet was made.

His counsel had argued that the photo which he used in the tweets came from a 1983 Hindi film by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Kissi Se Na Kehna, and that the film was not banned.

“Considering that mobile phone/laptop of accused used by him for posting the tweet in question is to be recovered at the instance of accused Mohammad Zubair from his Bengaluru residence and that accused has remained non-cooperative and the disclosure statement on record, four days PC (police custody) remand of accused is granted since accused is to be taken to Bengaluru,” the court said.

Mr. Zubair was arrested on Monday for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through one of his tweets.