Supreme Court Grants Interim Protection To Alt-News Co-Founder Zubair In UP FIRs

On Monday, the Supreme Court restrained the Uttar Pradesh state Police from taking any coercive action against Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair in five out of six first information reports lodged accusing him in the state until July 20. The journalist had already been granted interim bail in the sixth case.

The court’s order meant that the police could not take him into custody or apply for police remand in cases in which he has not been arrested.

In the morning, Zubair’s lawyer Vrinda Grover orally mentioned his petition which made prayer to quash all the six cases lodged against him in Uttar Pradesh before Chief Justice of India NV Ramana. The CJI, using his power of master of roster, then directed it to be listed before a bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud.

After a while, a Bench comprising Justices Chandrachud and AS Bopanna observed that no precipitate action should be taken against Zubair. The journalist’s plea to set aside all cases in Uttar Pradesh will be heard on July 20, the justices further added.

“Contents of all FIRs seem to be similar,” Justice Chandrachud noted verbally at the hearing, as per reports. “What seems to be happening is, as he gets bail in one case, he is remanded in another. This vicious cycle is continuing.”

Separate cases emanating from the same set of facts have been lodged against Zubair in the districts of Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Muzaffarnagar, Ghaziabad and Hathras. They are in relation to sarcastic remarks on television news presenters, allegedly offending religious sentiments of the Hindu community and publishing alleged incendiary content about Gods and Goddesses.

During the hearing, Grover argued that rewards were announced for registration of FIR against her client. “Rs 15,000 announced for person who files the first FIR, Rs 10,000 for filing a complaint. There is evergreening of his custody by seeking remand in multiple cases,” said Grover.

On July 8, a bench headed by Justice Chandrachud accorded him a five-day interim bail in the case filed in Sitapur after his counsel said that he faced threat to his life and limb. The court prolonged his bail on July 12 and iterated that a conclusive hearing with respect to the police complaint against him would take place on September 7.

On July 12, the Uttar Pradesh Police made the Court aware that it had formed a Special Investigation Team to delve into the six cases in which Zubair was accused. The investigation team was being led by Inspector General (Prison) of Lucknow Preetinder Singh.

The petition filed by Zubair before the Supreme Court has also challenged the establishment of the Special Investigation Team.

On July 15, a court in Delhi relieved him on bail in the initial case under which the police had made his arrest on June 27. The 39-year-old journalist will languish in custody until he succeeds in getting bail in the other five cases lodged in Uttar Pradesh.