Crime
Was fact-checker Zubair arrested for being evasive, uncooperative?
Alt news’ co-founder Mohammed Zubair was arrested as he was not at all being cooperative with the police in the investigation of a case registered against him, a senior Delhi Police official said on Tuesday.
Zubair came into major limelight after he posted BJP’s now suspended spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s controversial comment on Prophet Mohammed. He was arrested on Monday for his objectionable tweets which he posted in 2018.
After his arrest, the police said he was not cooperating with the investigation. “We had served him a notice under section 41 A of the CrPc, but he was evasive and not cooperating in the investigation,” the official told IANS.
The official said that Zubair was “evasive on the questions” and neither provided the necessary technical equipment for the purpose of the investigation nor cooperated in the investigation.
“During investigation, the conduct of Mohammed Zubair was found questionable, which warranted his custodial interrogation to unravel the conspiracy in this matter,” the official added.
The section 41 A of the Code of Criminal Procedure deals with the notice of appearance before police officers.
Under this, the police officer shall, in all cases where the arrest of a person is not required, issue a notice directing the person against whom a reasonable complaint has been made, or credible information has been received, or a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed a cognizable offence, to appear before him or at such other place as may be specified in the notice.
When such a notice is issued to any person, it shall be the duty of that person to comply with the terms of the notice. When such person complies and continues to comply with the notice, he shall not be arrested in respect of the offence referred to in the notice unless, for reasons to be recorded, the police officer is of the opinion that he ought to be arrested.
And when the person being questioned is not cooperative, the law says that if such person, at any time, fails to comply with the terms of the notice or is unwilling to identify himself, the police officer may, subject to such orders as may have been passed by a competent court in this behalf, arrest him for the offence mentioned in the notice.
The official said that the counsel for the accused Mohammed Zubair moved application for grant of bail, however, the same was heard at length and not finding the merits, the bail was ultimately declined.
The 33-year-old fact-checker is currently under police custody and is being interrogated over one of his objectionable tweets which he posted in 2018. After Zubair’s tweet, his followers on social media entities amplified and created a series of debates and hate mongering in the thread.
“He was examined in this separate case and his role was found objectionable,” the official said.
The police have charged Zubair with Indian Penal Code sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).
Sources told IANS that the tweet for which Zubair is being questioned is 4 years old. In the said tweet, accused Zubair had used a screengrab of an old Hindi movie which showed an image of a hotel, with its board reading ‘Hanuman hotel’ instead of ‘Honeymoon hotel’.
In his tweet, Zubair had written, “BEFORE 2014: Honeymoon Hotel. After 2014: Hanuman Hotel”.
Meanwhile, the Opposition left no chance to train guns at the present dispensation and accused them of curbing free speech and targeting those who are exposing the BJP.
“Every person exposing BJP’s hate, bigotry and lies is a threat to them. Arresting one voice of truth will only give rise to a thousand more. Truth ALWAYS triumphs over tyranny,” tweeted Rahul Gandhi soon after the news of fact-checker’s arrest broke out.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that Altnews and Zubair have been in the forefront of exposing the “bogus claims of the Vishguru”, who has struck back with a vengeance characteristic of him. “Delhi Police, reporting to the Union Home Minister, has long lost any pretensions of professionalism and independence,” he said.
Pertinent to mention here that Zubair was the first person to share former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nupur Sharma’s alleged remarks against Prophet Mohammed during a TV debate.
The controversial statement made by Nupur Sharma set off an international furore. Several Muslim nations, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia and Iran, as well as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation officially protested their statements and demanded an apology.
Following the uproar, the Bharatiya Janata Party suspended Sharma and another leader, Naveen Kumar Jindal, who also made insulting comments against Prophet Muhammad on social media.
However, soon after her comments, Sharma was targeted on social media and received thousands of death threats following which the police provided a security cover to her.
She had lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police on May 27 alleging that she had been receiving death threats and was a target of hatred.
Crime
Palghar: Vasai-Virar Police Nab Gang Stealing Mobile Tower Batteries; ₹6 Lakh Worth Goods Recovered

Vasai: A gang specializing in stealing mobile tower batteries has become active in the Vasai-Virar region. The Crime Detection Branch team of the Pelhar Police has successfully arrested members of this gang. Stolen goods worth ₹6 lakhs have been confiscated from them.
While incidents of house burglaries, mobile thefts, vehicle thefts, and chain snatching are occurring in Vasai-Virar, the area is now seeing cases of theft of mobile tower batteries installed for networking purposes.
Recently, twenty-four batteries belonging to the Indus Company’s mobile phone tower, valued at ₹50,000, were stolen by unknown thieves from the Arshad Compound area within the jurisdiction of the Pelhar Police Station. A case was filed at the police station regarding this incident.
Taking the seriousness of the crime into account, Senior Police Inspector Sachin Kamble instructed the Crime Detection Branch team to investigate the matter.
Accordingly, the detection team, led by Assistant Police Inspector Ramesh Waghchaure, Police Sub-Inspector Tukaram Bhople, and their team, started the investigation. It was discovered that a pickup Bolero vehicle was being used for the crimes and that the accused were employed at ARC Company (related to mobile phone towers).
Police tracked down and arrested three individuals: Aurangzeb Sarwar Ansari (19), Parvez Ghulam Rasul Shah (24), and Rafiq Aminsab Sheikh (38). Police reported seizing property worth ₹6 lakh 12 thousand from them.
The operation was conducted by the team comprising Senior Police Inspector Sachin Kamble, Police Inspector (Crime) Shivaji Patil, Crime Detection Team Assistant Police Inspector Ramesh Waghchaure, Police Sub-Inspector Tukaram Bhople, Faujdar Yogesh Deshmukh, Police Constables Tanaji Chavan, Valmik Patil, Abhijit Nevare, Ravi Wankhede, Ashok Parjane, Anil Waghmare, Wasim Sheikh, Amol Masse, and others.
Crime
One killed, five injured in Trinamool factional clash in Birbhum

Kolkata, Dec 6: A Trinamool Congress leader was killed, and five others were seriously injured in a violent clash between two factions of the ruling party in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, police said on Saturday.
The incident occurred in the Nanoor area of Birbhum district late on Friday night. The deceased Trinamool leader, who was beaten to death, has been identified as Rashbehari Sardar alias Dodan (50).
According to police, the deceased is known to be a follower of Trinamool Birbhum Zilla Parishad president Faizul Haque alias Kajal Shaikh. The injured were taken to Mangalkot Block Hospital in East Burdwan district. The body of the deceased Trinamool leader has been taken to Mangalkot Sub-divisional Hospital for post-mortem examination.
The clash broke out while villagers were gathered at the Natmandir in Patichhara village in Nanoor during Nabanna festivities. As the group was chatting, another group allegedly launched an unprovoked assault, leading to the fatal attack.
Those who carried out the attack are known to be followers of former Zilla Parishad corporator Abdul Karim Khan, who is close to Trinamool Congress strongman and former Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal.
The Trinamool factional conflict ahead of the upcoming 2026 state Assembly elections is a matter of concern for the party leadership, sources in the Trinamool Congress said.
Following the incident, there has been widespread tension in the area. A large police force, including a combat force, has been patrolling the villages to ease the tension. Locals alleged that the death was due to Trinamool factional conflict. However, no top leader of the Birbhum district Trinamool Congress has officially spoken about the incident so far.
“One person was killed, and five others were injured in a clash last night. The injured are being treated at a hospital. Some of them have serious head injuries. An investigation has started. Extensive patrolling is being conducted to prevent any further escalation,” said a senior officer of the Birbhum district police.
Crime
Mumbai Anti-Narcotics Crackdown: 10 Peddlers Held, Heroin & MD Worth Over ₹4 Crore Seized In 6 ANC Raids

Mumbai: In a major anti-narcotics crackdown, the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai Police has carried out six coordinated operations across the city — Borivali, Khar, Bandra West, Dharavi East and Goregaon — resulting in the arrest of 10 drug peddlers and the seizure of heroin and mephedrone (MD) worth more than ₹4 crore.
A total of 739 grams of heroin, 452 grams of mephedrone, and ₹5,87,000 in cash were recovered during the operations.
ANC Kandivali Unit has arrested a duo for selling heroin illegally in Borivali with 511 g of heroin worth approx. ₹2.04 crore, along with a mixer grinder and drug-processing equipment.
In a second action near Devipada Subway on Western Express Highway, two more persons were arrested with 123 g of heroin worth approx. ₹49 lakh.
In Goregaon East, one man was arrested while selling MD; police seized 230 g of MD worth approx. ₹57.5 lakh. All three cases are being further investigated by the Kandivali Unit.
ANC Bandra Unit has arrested two peddlers for selling heroin and seized 105 g of heroin worth approx. ₹15.75 lakh. Investigation is underway under the Bandra Unit.
Whereas ANC Azad Maidan Unit has booked two persons in Goregaon West for selling MD and seized 122 g of MD worth approx. ₹36.6 lakh. Further probe by the Azad Maidan Unit.
ANC Worli Unit arrested one person in Dharavi for MD trafficking with 100 g of MD worth approx. ₹25 lakh. The case is under investigation by the Worli Unit. With these seizures, the ANC has successfully intercepted a major distribution chain operating across different suburban pockets of Mumbai.
Police officials said the Mumbai Police is committed to building a drug-free society and will continue tracking and dismantling narcotics networks across the city.
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