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Mohd Zubair bail hearing: Delhi court reserves order for Friday
Alt News co-founder Mohd Zubair was arrested by Delhi Police over a 2018 tweet that allegedly hurt religious sentiments.
The Delhi court hearing Alt News co-founder Mohd Zubair's bail plea has reserved its order for 2 pm Friday. Zubair was arrested last month by Delhi Police over a 2018 tweet that allegedly hurt religious sentiments and since has had six separate cases filed against him in Uttar Pradesh. On Thursday a court in UP's Hathras sent Zubair to judicial custody for 14 days, meaning that even if he were to secure bail in Delhi, he will remain in jail for now.
Earlier the court wanted to know how many people had been offended by Zubair's 2018 tweet and if the police had recorded statements, as required by law.
The special public prosecutor could only offer 'tweets and retweets' as details, to which the court responded: "You cannot go by the tweets and retweets. You have to go by the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) and record the statement."
Zubair's tweet referenced a 1983 Bollywood film.
READ | In Zubair bail plea hearing, Delhi court asks: 'How many offended?'
The matter was heard today after two days of inactivity because the special prosecutor, Atul Shrivastav, said he was un available for earlier hearings.
Also in today's hearing, on the contention donations had been received by fact-checking website Alt News from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iran, the court wanted to know if there was evidence to investigate Zubair under the FCRA, or Foreigjn Contributions Regulation Act.
Zubair's lawyer, Vrinda Grover, rebuffed the prosecutor's claim that there was evidence, and said that while donations were sought by Pravda Media (Alt News' parent company) 'they had right from the beginning specified they do not (accept) foreign remittance'.
"A self declaration has to be made by the potential donor that he/she has an account in an Indian bank," Zubair's lawyer told the court. "Alt News was allowed to receive donations only from Indian bank accounts... There is no foreign remuneration".
"Unfounded and unsubstantiated statements have been made by the SPP."
On Wednesday the Supreme Court extended till further orders interim bail for Zubair - in the case filed in UP's Sitapur district for a tweet in which he called three Hindu seers 'hate-mongers'. The top court will hear this on September 7.
READ | Mohammed Zubair’s interim bail extended by SC in Sitapur case
Zubair was also sent to judicial custody for 14 days in UP's Lakhimpur in connection with a case registered last year by police there on the charge of promoting enmity.
