In case filed by Sudarshan News staffer, UP court sends Zubair to judicial custody for 14 days

A local court in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri today sent Alt News cofounder Muhammed Zubair to 14 days in judicial custody. This is in connection with a case filed against Zubair last year by an employee of Sudarshan News.

According to Indian Express, Zubair, who is presently lodged in a Sitapur jail, attended today's court proceedings through video conference.

On July 9, the UP police had issued a warrant for Zubair in the case, which had been filed against him last September by one Ashish Kumar Katiyar, who is associated with Sudarshan News. Katiyar reportedly took objection to a tweet in which Zubair had pointed out that Sudarshan News used images of Al Masjid an Nabawi from Madina and superimposed it on an old picture from Ghaza, with graphics bombing the mosque, during a broadcast.

Indian Express reported that Kariyar had moved the court when the local police did not entertain his complaint. Following a court directive, the FIR was registered against Zubair. The FIR stated that Zubair's tweet could promote enmity between religious groups. Subsequently, the warrant was issued and the Lakhimpur Kheri court summoned him on July 11.

Zubair is already in judicial custody over an objection to a tweet he made four years ago.

Additionally, the day the warrant was issued against him, the Supreme Court had granted him interim bail in another case registered in UP’s Sitapur. Read Newslaundry's detailed report here.