Fact-checker faces FIR amid protests in Ghaziabad

The FIR against Zubair was registered at 2.19pm after Tyagi and other right-wing Hindu groups and their leaders staged a protest at Ghaziabad Police Lines on Monday and met police officials

The Ghaziabad police on Monday registered an FIR under different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Alt-News co-founder Mohammed Zubair for allegedly promoting enmity among religious groups and other offences on a complaint by an aide of Dasna temple head priest Yati Narsinghanand.

The FIR against Zubair was registered at Kavi Nagar police station on a complaint given by Udita Tyagi, general secretary of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati Foundation, and also a regional leader (western UP) of Bharatiya Janata Party’s women wing. (ANI)

The priest is embroiled in a controversy after a purported video of his, in which he is heard making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad, went viral on social media.

Taking suo motu cognizance, the Ghaziabad police registered an FIR against Narsinghanand on October 3 for making those alleged remarks on September 29 at the Hindi Bhawan, Lohiya Nagar in Ghaziabad.

The FIR against Zubair was registered at Kavi Nagar police station on a complaint given by Udita Tyagi, general secretary of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati Foundation, and also a regional leader (western UP) of Bharatiya Janata Party’s women wing.

Tyagi referred to the protest outside Dasna Devi temple on the night of October 4.

“They had intention to attack the temple and about 200-250 persons including myself were inside the temple. Zubair made several tweets on social media and incited fundamentalists. He did not stop there and continued to post small clips which provoked people. He also cut video clip of Maharaj Yati Narsinghanand ji and selectively used portions of the clip to incite people,” Tyagi alleged.

The FIR against Zubair was registered at 2.19pm after Tyagi and other right-wing Hindu groups and their leaders staged a protest at Ghaziabad Police Lines on Monday and met senior police officials.

“Previously, he had made a list of 10 BJP leaders and termed them anti-Islam and made fundamentalists run after them. It included my name as well. As a result, I received threatening calls and unwanted messages. There are series of threads on his social media which incited thousands of people to attack the Dasna Devi temple on the night of October 4,” Tyagi said.

After the FIR, Mohammed Zubair,@zoo_bear, posted a copy of the FIR on X and stated, “As expected. FIR registered against me.”

Abhishek Srivastava, assistant commissioner of police, Kavi Nagar circle, said, “The FIR has been filed against Zubair on complaint given by Udita Tyagi. We are investigating the case.”

Against Tyagi’s claims of alleged attack on the temple, the Ghaziabad police registered a suo motu FIR at Wave City police station on October 5.

In this connection, the Ghaziabad police issued a statement on Monday and said 10 people were arrested in connection with the October 4 incident.

However, no action is initiated against Narsinghanand whose aides and supporters claim that he was taken away by the police on the night of October 4, a charge denied by Ghaziabad police.

“Narsinghanand is not with us. As regards the FIR against him, we are still investigating the matter and action will follow,” said DCP Kumar.