NEW DELHI: In latest development in the arrest of Alt-News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, the Delhi High court on Friday granted two weeks time to Delhi Police to file a counter-affidavit in the case. The court adjourned the matter for four weeks, giving July 27 as the next date for hearing.
While listening to the matter, Justice Sanjeev Narula noticed that Zubair’s remand order was for four days and it will end tomorrow and after that he will have to produce before the magistrate on July 2 (today).
The Delhi High court also make it clear that the hearing at partial court will continue without any prejudice.
Zubair on Thursday moved to the Delhi High Court challenging his detention ordered by the Patiala House court. Before this Delhi police arrested Zubair for his 2018 tweet in which, he allegedly made objectionable comments on the Hindu god.
Appearing for Zubair, advocate Vrinda Grover argued that her client Zubair’s arrest is a violation of the Arnesh Kumar guidelines issued by the apex court. She also highlighted that confiscation of Zubair’s gadgets was also an attempt to breach his journalistic freedom. “If courts don’t stop this (arrest made on ‘frivolous’ charges), nobody is going to be safe in this country,” she said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that there are provisions under the law to seize devices. Mehta added, “Against Zubair, there was another FIR in 2020 where we did not find his role and a closure report will be filed. But in this FIR, the investigation is going on.”
Zubair was arrested by Delhi Police on June 27 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through a tweet posted in 2018. He was sent to one-day police custody the same day.