Read Time: 03 minutes

Synopsis

The Supreme Court on Monday refused urgent listing of the plea filed by Co-Founder of the AltNews, Mohammad Zubair seeking direction to quash six FIRs filed against him in the State of Uttar Pradesh in connection with his tweets.

A bench of the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justice Krishna Murari and Justice Hima Kohli while refusing the urgent listing, said that the matter may be mentioned before the bench where other similar matters are pending.

Advocate Vrinda Grover while mentioning the matter submitted that Zubair is arrested in another FIR as soon he gets bail in one.

The FIRs have been lodged at Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Muzaffarnagar, Ghaziabad, and two at Hathras over his allegedly 'controversial' tweets.

The plea has further challenged the Special Investigation Team constituted by the Uttar Government to investigate the cases registered.

In the Sitapur case, Zubair had allegedly called Bajrang Muni a 'hate monger' and insulted Yati Narsinghanand and Anand Swaroop in his tweets. He was sent to judicial custody by the local court. 

However, the apex court granted him interim bail of five days. The order was passed in a plea by the Alt News co-founder challenging Allahabad High Court’s order refusing to quash this First Information Report (FIR) lodged against him over his tweet.

The Top Court had asked Zubair not to post any further tweets or tamper with evidence. Moreover, it also clarified that its order pertains only to the Sitapur case and not any other case. Moreover, a local court in Sitapur has rejected Zubair's bail plea in this case.

Case Title: MOHAMMED ZUBAIR Vs. STATE OF UP & ORS.