SC GRANTED BAIL TO ALT NEWS CO-FOUNDER MOHAMMAD ZUBAIR

(The Quiver) :On Wednesday, Supreme court granted bail to Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair . He walked out of jail after 24 days following Supreme Court order for his immediate release in six cases registered against him for ‘objectionable tweets’.

“We find no reason and justification. We direct the petitioner be released on bail immediately under article 32 in all cases,” the top court said.

Delhi Police had arrested Zubair  on June 27 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through a tweet he posted in 2018. A case was registered against him under sections 153A (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the IPC.

The top court asked all FIRs against Zubair should be transferred to the Delhi Police Special Cell, which is probing the case related to the 2018 objectionable tweet.

Zubair is accused in a total of seven FIRs, of which six are lodged in UP and one in Delhi. He has been in custody in four cases against him in Delhi, Sitapur, Hathras and Lakhimpur Kheri.

Even though the Uttar Pradesh government said the cases against Zubair is not just about one tweet, the SC bench disbanded a Special Investigation Team formed by the state government to investigate the FIRs against Zubair.

The court also rejected the UP government’s plea to stop Zubair from tweeting and said, “How can we say that? It’s like asking a lawyer not to argue. A person not to speak. Whatever he does, he will be responsible, but we can’t ask a journalist not to write.”