No criminality found against Alt News co-founder Zubair

New Delhi: The Delhi Police told the high court on Thursday that it has not found any criminality against fact-checking website Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair in a case lodged against him for allegedly threatening and torturing a minor on social media. Taking note of the submissions of the city police, the court asked the probe agency to place the chargesheet filed in the case before it. "Before proceeding further, let a copy of the chargesheet be filed before the next date of hearing," Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani said.

The counsel for the Delhi Police informed the court that the probe agency has found no criminality against Zubair and his name has not been included in the chargesheet. The court also asked police to give a copy of the chargesheet to Additional Solicitor General K M Natraj, who is representing complainant National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in the matter. The law officer said he would take further instructions, after which the court listed the matter for the next hearing on March 2. On the basis of a complaint from the NCPCR, the Delhi Police lodged an FIR against Zubair on August 9, 2020 under the provisions of the Information Technology Act for allegedly threatening and torturing a girl on Twitter.

The NCPCR complaint referred to a photo of the girl and her father shared by Zubair on Twitter during an online spat with the man. The journalist has approached the court seeking quashing of the FIR against him. The NCPCR has contended that the submission of the city police that no cognisable offence was made out against Zubair was "incorrect" and that the agency's stand indicates the casual attitude of the authorities. It had urged the court to direct the Delhi Police to conduct a thorough investigation in the case and conclude it on priority basis.