Supreme Court grants interim bail to Mohammed Zubair in Sitapur case
The Hindu
The Alt News co-founder will however continue to remain in judicial custody in a separate FIR by Delhi Police
The Supreme Court on July 8, 2022 granted limited interim bail to Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair in an FIR registered by the Sitapur Police in Uttar Pradesh for insulting religious feelings.
The Uttar Pradesh Police had registered a case against Mr. Zubair on the basis of a complaint that he had tweeted “offensive words towards mahants of religious places symbolising our faith and thereby hurting our religious sentiments”.
Mr. Zubair had appealed to stay the investigation into the “absurd” charges and subsequently quash the FIR registered at Sitapur.
Mr. Zubair will however remain in judicial custody in a separate FIR registered by the Delhi Police. This case had not come up before the Supreme Court. The court was only concerned with the U.P. case.
The Bench also made it clear that Mr. Zubair will not put up any tweets or tamper with evidence, electronic or otherwise.
The order will also not impede the investigation, seizure of evidence in the Sitapur case
The Vacation Bench said the case will now come up before a Regular Bench when the court reopens.