Lucknow: An FIR was lodged against Alt-News co-founder Mohammad Zubair in Ghaziabad on Monday for allegedly promoting enmity among religious groups and other offences following a complaint by an aide of controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand, said the police sources.
Notably, Yati Narsinghanand, the Mahamandleshwar of Juna Akhara, is facing multiple FIRs and protests from Muslim groups over his alleged remarks against Prophet Muhammad given at an event on September 29.
The FIR against the Alt news co-founder was lodged on the basis of a complaint filed by Udita Tyagi, General Secretary of Yati Narsimahanand Saraswati Foundation, at to Kavinagar police station, wherein, she alleged that Zubair posted a video clip of an old programme of Narsinghanand on October 3 to incite violence by Muslims against him following which the temple was attacked on October 5 by a mob of Islamists that had tried to lay siege to the Shiv Shakti Dham.
The FIR against Zubair was lodged around 2 pm under Sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 228 (giving or fabricating false evidence), 299 (Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 356(3) (related to defamation) and 351 (2) (punishment for criminal intimidation) of Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS), the police said.
As per the sources, a massive crowd had assembled outside Dasna Devi temple headed by Narsinghanand in Ghaziabad, to protest against him on Friday night after videos of his inflammatory remarks went viral on social media following which security was stepped up around the temple premises.
Earlier in the day, members of Hindu outfits submitted a memorandum to Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra demanding action against those who "attacked" the temple on Friday.
They had also demanded action against Zubair, AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi, Islamic scholar Arshad Madani and others, alleging that they were instigating Muslims to target the Dasna temple.
On October 3, an FIR was lodged against Narsinghanand stating that on September 29 he had made derogatory remarks against a community during an event at Hindi Bhavan in Lohiya Naga in a violation of Section 302 of BNS (deals with the offence of uttering words or making sounds to intentionally hurt someone's religious feelings.)
Another FIR was lodged by Bhanu Prakash Singh, sub-inspector and area beat in-charge Dasna area of Wave City police station booking priest's disciples-- Anil Yadav Chhota Narsimahanand, Yati Ran Singhanand, Yati Ram Swaroopanand and Yati Nirbhayanand of Dasna temple – were accused of making objectionable remarks, a video of which had appeared on social media.
They have been booked at Wave City Police Station under Sections 302 and 351 of BNS.