Alt News co-founder Muhammed Zubair on Thursday approached the Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court's order which refused to quash an FIR registered against him by the Uttar Pradesh police for allegedly calling Hindu seers "hatemongers".
Appearing for Zubair, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, mentioned the matter before a bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and J K Maheshwari for an urgent hearing.
The counsel contended that the FIR in fact showed that there was no crime and there were death threats against his client.
He submitted that Allahabad High Court declined any relief on the ground that it was premature.
“Bail is sought on emergency. There are death threats on the internet. If possible, list today (Thursday) at 2 pm," Gonsalves said.
The bench, however, agreed to list the matter on Friday, subject to approval by the Chief Justice of India.
Zubair was produced in a court at Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh on Monday in the case registered over a tweet which referred to Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati and two other religious leaders as “hate mongers”.
On June 3, a case was registered against him at the Khairabad police station on a complaint lodged by Hindu Lion Army district president Bhagwan Sharan.
On July 2, a Delhi court rejected a plea for bail moved by Zubair in view of the pendency of investigation and gravity of charges, including illegal receipt of funds from Pakistan, Syria and other countries alleged against him in a case related to hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity for his 2018 tweet.
He was first arrested by Delhi police on June 27.
(Published 07 July 2022, 05:49 IST)
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