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Synopsis

A local court in ’s Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday rejected the bail plea of the Co-Founder of Alt News, Mohammed Zubair.

This came a day after a Delhi Court granted bail to Zubair in the case registered over his one alleged objectionable tweet made in 2018. 

The instant case pertains to the allegations made by one Ashish Kumar Katiyar, a local TV journalist, that Zubair had circulated false news on content broadcast by his channel, disturbing communal harmony.

Katiyar had moved the court seeking directions for registration of a First Information Report after the local police did not entertain his complaint. Thereafter, a case was registered against Zubair on September 18 last year under Section 153A (promoting enmity between two groups) and other Sections of the Indian Penal Code. 

Last week, on Tuesday, the Top Court extended the interim bail granted to Zubair in the Sitapur case lodged against him over his tweet calling prominent persons of a religious fold 'hate-mongers'. The interim bail was extended after the UP govt said it wanted to file a counter affidavit to the plea seeking to quash the Sitapur FIR.

In the Lakhimpur Kheri case, the local court, on Monday, sent Zubair to 14 days’ judicial custody. On the same day, the Lakhimpur Kheri police also moved an application in the local court seeking 14 days’ police custody of Zubair to question him which was listed to be heard today, July 13.

Uttar Pradesh Police has also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, ANI reported. 

[Inputs: TOI]