<p>The co-owner of fact-checking website AltNews, Mohammed Zubair, was booked by police on Monday for allegedly disclosing the identity of the 7-year-old Muslim boy who was slapped by classmates on the instructions of their teacher.</p>

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<p dir="ltr">The police in Uttar Pradesh’s western Muzaffarnagar district filed a case under Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice Act after a person named Vishnudutt filed a complaint.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">The law makes it punishable to disclose the identity of a child victim or witness of a crime. Those held guilty could be sentenced to six months in jail or fined up to Rs 200,000 ($2,420 approx).</p>

<p dir="ltr">Zubair was one of the journalists who posted the video of the incident on social media. However, he later deleted it.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Zubair calls FIR 'vindictive'</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr">Reacting to the FIR, Zubair told the Indian Express newspaper, “I did not receive any notice or call from the police. It was through social media that I found that an FIR has been lodged against me.”&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">“I was checking the FIR and it does not have any other names. Why was only my name put there? There were several media outlets that posted the video before and after me. I later removed the video after I was told that I was disclosing the minor’s identity. This has happened to me before in 2020 as well. I was targeted… This shows the police can target anyone.”</p>

<p dir="ltr">The matter came to light on August 25 after a video of the incident went viral, showing the teacher, Tripti Tyagi, who instigated other students to slap the Muslim boy “hard”. In the clip, she can also purportedly be heard making pejorative statements about Muslims.</p>

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/disturbing-video-emerges-indian-teacher-instigates-students-to-slap-muslim-classmate-watch-629332">Disturbing video emerges: Teacher in India prods students to slap Muslim classmate. Watch</a></p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Teacher yet to be arrested&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr">The woman teacher, who is also the owner of the school, has been booked by the Uttar Pradesh Police under Sections 323 (causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code. However, no arrest has been made so far.</p>

<p dir="ltr">The incident caused widespread uproar, with many demanding that the teacher be sacked and given strict punishment.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/haryana-security-heightened-up-in-nuh-drones-deployed-for-surveillance-amid-calls-for-shobha-yatra-629830">Haryana: Security stepped up in Nuh after calls for 'Shobha Yatra'</a></p>

<p dir="ltr">However, the woman defended her move, saying that such measures were necessary to "control" kids at school.</p>

<p dir="ltr">In an interview with NDTV news channel, Tyagi said, “I am not ashamed. I have served the people of this village as a teacher. They all are with me."&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">"They have made laws, but we need to control the children in schools. This is how we tackle them,” she added.</p>

<p dir="ltr"><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The co-owner of fact-checking website AltNews, Mohammed Zubair, was booked by police on Monday for allegedly disclosing the identity of the 7-year-old Muslim boy who was slapped by classmates on the instructions of their teacher.

The co-owner of fact-checking website AltNews, Mohammed Zubair, was booked by police on Monday for allegedly disclosing the identity of the 7-year-old Muslim boy who was slapped by classmates on the instructions of their teacher. The police in Uttar Pradesh’s western Muzaffarnagar district filed a case under Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice Act after a person named Vishnudutt filed a complaint. The law makes it punishable to disclose the identity of a child victim or witness of a crime. Those held guilty could be sentenced to six months in jail or fined up to Rs 200,000 ($2,420 approx). Zubair was one of the journalists who posted the video of the incident on social media. However, he later deleted it. Zubair calls FIR 'vindictive' Reacting to the FIR, Zubair told the Indian Express newspaper, “I did not receive any notice or call from the police. It was through social media that I found that an FIR has been lodged against me.” “I was checking the FIR and it does not have any other names. Why was only my name put there? There were several media outlets that posted the video before and after me. I later removed the video after I was told that I was disclosing the minor’s identity. This has happened to me before in 2020 as well. I was targeted… This shows the police can target anyone.” The matter came to light on August 25 after a video of the incident went viral, showing the teacher, Tripti Tyagi, who instigated other students to slap the Muslim boy “hard”. In the clip, she can also purportedly be heard making pejorative statements about Muslims. Also read | Disturbing video emerges: Teacher in India prods students to slap Muslim classmate. Watch Teacher yet to be arrested The woman teacher, who is also the owner of the school, has been booked by the Uttar Pradesh Police under Sections 323 (causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code. However, no arrest has been made so far. The incident caused widespread uproar, with many demanding that the teacher be sacked and given strict punishment. Also read | Haryana: Security stepped up in Nuh after calls for 'Shobha Yatra' However, the woman defended her move, saying that such measures were necessary to "control" kids at school. In an interview with NDTV news channel, Tyagi said, “I am not ashamed. I have served the people of this village as a teacher. They all are with me." "They have made laws, but we need to control the children in schools. This is how we tackle them,” she added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Co-owner of fact-checking website booked for disclosing identity of Muslim boy slapped by classmates 

<p>Journalist and Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair has been granted interim bail by Supreme Court of India on Wednesday (July 20). The bail has been granted in all FIRs in Uttar Pradesh against him. The FIRs were filed for his alleged derogatory tweets. The court said that it found no reason or justification for deprivation of his liberty. The top Indian court said that "the existence of the power of arrest must be distinguished from the exercise of arrest and the exercise of the power of arrest must be pursued sparingly."</p>

<p>A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and AS Bopanna said that fairness to Zubair would require that the entirety of the investigation into all the FIRs be clubbed together. The court said it should be one and the same investigating authority that would handle all these cases.</p>

<p>It said "the overlap between the allegations in the FIRs, emanating as they do, from the tweets of the petitioner (Zubair) would only go to emphasise the need for a consolidated as opposed to a piecemeal investigation by a diverse set of law enforcement agencies."</p>

<p>"Having found from the record that the petitioner has been subjected to a fairly sustained investigation by the Delhi police, we find no reason or justification for the deprivation of the liberty of the petitioner to persist any further. Consequently, we are of the view that the petitioner shall be released on interim bail in each of the FIRs which form the subject matter of these proceedings under Article 32 of the Constitution", it said.</p>

<p>The court said that Zubair was to released from the jail 'no later than 6 pm' on Wednesday after presentation of the bail bonds.</p>

<p>The bench directed that the SIT which has been constituted by the UP police shall be rendered "redundant and shall be disbanded".</p>

<p>The detailed order was not immediately uploaded on the Supreme Court website but the operative part was.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Journalist and Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair has been granted interim bail by Supreme Court of India on Wednesday (July 20). The bail has been granted in all FIRs in Uttar Pradesh against him.

Journalist and Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair has been granted interim bail by Supreme Court of India on Wednesday (July 20). The bail has been granted in all FIRs in Uttar Pradesh against him. The FIRs were filed for his alleged derogatory tweets. The court said that it found no reason or justification for deprivation of his liberty. The top Indian court said that "the existence of the power of arrest must be distinguished from the exercise of arrest and the exercise of the power of arrest must be pursued sparingly." A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and AS Bopanna said that fairness to Zubair would require that the entirety of the investigation into all the FIRs be clubbed together. The court said it should be one and the same investigating authority that would handle all these cases. It said "the overlap between the allegations in the FIRs, emanating as they do, from the tweets of the petitioner (Zubair) would only go to emphasise the need for a consolidated as opposed to a piecemeal investigation by a diverse set of law enforcement agencies." "Having found from the record that the petitioner has been subjected to a fairly sustained investigation by the Delhi police, we find no reason or justification for the deprivation of the liberty of the petitioner to persist any further. Consequently, we are of the view that the petitioner shall be released on interim bail in each of the FIRs which form the subject matter of these proceedings under Article 32 of the Constitution", it said. The court said that Zubair was to released from the jail 'no later than 6 pm' on Wednesday after presentation of the bail bonds. The bench directed that the SIT which has been constituted by the UP police shall be rendered "redundant and shall be disbanded". The detailed order was not immediately uploaded on the Supreme Court website but the operative part was. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Journalist Mohammed Zubair granted interim bail by Supreme Court of India

<p>A court in Indian capital New Delhi on Friday granted bail to Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair. He was arrested in a case related to his alleged objectionable tweet in 2018 on a Hindu deity. While granting bail the court observed that "the voice of dissent is necessary for a healthy democracy".</p>

<p>The court noted that till Friday (July 15), the police have failed to establish the identity of a said Twitter user who felt offended by the tweet of the accused and based on whose complaint the present case was filed</p>

<p>In spite of the bail however, Zubair will remain in jail as he has been remanded to judicial custody in some FIRs. These FIRs are registered against him by UP Police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.</p>

<p>Zubair will be sent to the concerned jail in Uttar Pradesh after his release, according to a Tihar jail official in Delhi. The journalist is currently lodged in Tihar jail since July 2.</p>

<p>While granting bail, Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala said Indian democracy and the political parties are open for their criticism and that merely criticism of any political parties is no ground to invoke section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 295A (outraging religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code(IPC).</p>

<p>"Undoubtedly free speech is the proper foundation of a democratic society."</p>

<p>Further, the court said that Hindu religion, one of the oldest in the world was most tolerant.</p>

<p>Six separate FIRs have been lodged against Zubair in Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar and Hathras districts in UP.</p>

<p>The court has directed Zubair to furnish a bail bond of Rs 50,000 and one surety of like amount. He has been directed not to leave the country without prior permission from the court. The journalist was also ordered to ensure that his tweet or retweet, or any material on social media content is not even touching boundaries of the offence punishable under Section 153A and 295A of IPC.</p>

<p>The court said that there was no need for any custodial interrogation and the alleged act would come into the category of offence only when it is done with a guilty intention.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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A court in Indian capital New Delhi on Friday granted bail to Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair. He was arrested in a case related to his alleged objectionable tweet in 2018 on a Hindu deity.

A court in Indian capital New Delhi on Friday granted bail to Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair. He was arrested in a case related to his alleged objectionable tweet in 2018 on a Hindu deity. While granting bail the court observed that "the voice of dissent is necessary for a healthy democracy". The court noted that till Friday (July 15), the police have failed to establish the identity of a said Twitter user who felt offended by the tweet of the accused and based on whose complaint the present case was filed In spite of the bail however, Zubair will remain in jail as he has been remanded to judicial custody in some FIRs. These FIRs are registered against him by UP Police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Zubair will be sent to the concerned jail in Uttar Pradesh after his release, according to a Tihar jail official in Delhi. The journalist is currently lodged in Tihar jail since July 2. While granting bail, Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala said Indian democracy and the political parties are open for their criticism and that merely criticism of any political parties is no ground to invoke section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 295A (outraging religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code(IPC). "Undoubtedly free speech is the proper foundation of a democratic society." Further, the court said that Hindu religion, one of the oldest in the world was most tolerant. Six separate FIRs have been lodged against Zubair in Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar and Hathras districts in UP. The court has directed Zubair to furnish a bail bond of Rs 50,000 and one surety of like amount. He has been directed not to leave the country without prior permission from the court. The journalist was also ordered to ensure that his tweet or retweet, or any material on social media content is not even touching boundaries of the offence punishable under Section 153A and 295A of IPC. The court said that there was no need for any custodial interrogation and the alleged act would come into the category of offence only when it is done with a guilty intention. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

'Voice of dissent is necessary': Delhi court grants bail to journalist Mohammed Zubair

<p>Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of Alt News, was detained by Delhi Police on Monday on suspicion of inciting hatred and denigrating religion.</p>

<p>According to Delhi Police, Zubair was charged with violating Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 153A (promotion of animosity between different groups on the basis of religion, race, place of birth, residence, and language) and 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).</p>

<p>Police said that a complaint was made against the co-founder due to a tweet made by Zubair via Twitter.</p>

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<h5>"Transmission and publication of such posts has been deliberately done by Mohammed Zubair through electronic media to insult the religious feelings of a particular community with intent to provoke breach of peace," an excerpt from the FIR copy, reads.</h5>
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<p>Pratik Sinha, co-founder of Alt News, commented on his colleague's arrest and wrote on Twitter, "Zubair was called today by special cell, Delhi for investigation in a case for which he already had a protection against arrest from High Court."</p>

<p>The Delhi Police, officials said on Tuesday that his "objectionable tweet of 2018 led to a Twitter storm with hate speeches, detrimental to communal harmony".</p>

<p>"In such cases, finding the gadget used to post such tweets and the intention behind posting such a tweet is important. During questioning, he has been evasive on both the fronts. We found out that his phone was formatted. His evasiveness formed the grounds for his arrest," said KPS Malhotra, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Intelligence Fusion &amp; Strategic Operations).</p>

<p>According to the police, the case was opened following a Twitter user's accusation that Zubair had offended religious sensitivities.</p>

<p>On Monday, Sinha claimed that Zubair had been detained under portions of the law that required notification from the police before his detention, but that notice had not been given.<br />
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Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of Alt News, was detained by Delhi Police on Monday on suspicion of inciting hatred and denigrating religion. According to Delhi Police, Zubair was charged with violating Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 153A (promotion of animosity between different groups on the basis of religion, race, place of birth, residence, and language) and 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).

Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of Alt News, was detained by Delhi Police on Monday on suspicion of inciting hatred and denigrating religion. According to Delhi Police, Zubair was charged with violating Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 153A (promotion of animosity between different groups on the basis of religion, race, place of birth, residence, and language) and 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs). Police said that a complaint was made against the co-founder due to a tweet made by Zubair via Twitter. "Transmission and publication of such posts has been deliberately done by Mohammed Zubair through electronic media to insult the religious feelings of a particular community with intent to provoke breach of peace," an excerpt from the FIR copy, reads. × Pratik Sinha, co-founder of Alt News, commented on his colleague's arrest and wrote on Twitter, "Zubair was called today by special cell, Delhi for investigation in a case for which he already had a protection against arrest from High Court." The Delhi Police, officials said on Tuesday that his "objectionable tweet of 2018 led to a Twitter storm with hate speeches, detrimental to communal harmony". "In such cases, finding the gadget used to post such tweets and the intention behind posting such a tweet is important. During questioning, he has been evasive on both the fronts. We found out that his phone was formatted. His evasiveness formed the grounds for his arrest," said KPS Malhotra, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations). According to the police, the case was opened following a Twitter user's accusation that Zubair had offended religious sensitivities. On Monday, Sinha claimed that Zubair had been detained under portions of the law that required notification from the police before his detention, but that notice had not been given. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Indian journalist Mohammed Zubair held for posts 'that insult religious feeling': Police

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Co-owner of fact-checking website booked for disclosing identity of Muslim boy slapped by classmates

Journalist Mohammed Zubair granted interim bail by Supreme Court of India

'Voice of dissent is necessary': Delhi court grants bail to journalist Mohammed Zubair

Indian journalist Mohammed Zubair held for posts 'that insult religious feeling': Police