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Was fact-checker Zubair arrested for being evasive, uncooperative?

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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

Mumbai Crime: CBI Arrests Long-Absconding Bank Fraud Accused After 21 Years

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Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has successfully arrested the accused Dinesh D. Gehlot, a proclaimed offender in a high-value bank fraud case, pursuant to sustained and meticulous efforts made by the investigating team.

The case was registered on 31.05.2004 for defrauding Bank of Baroda. It was alleged that the accused Dinesh D. Gehlot, had dishonestly applied for housing loan by the use of forged and fabricated documents.

Charge Sheet Filed in 2007, Accused Remained Untraceable

After completion of investigation, a charge sheet was filed in the case on 30.04.2007, making the accused Dinesh D. Gehlot as one of the conspirators for cheating and defrauding the Bank of Baroda. The accused failed to join the trial or respond to summons/warrants and was untraceable since 2024.

Multiple Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) were issued against him. Finally, on 09.12.2024, the Hon. Special Judge for CBI, Greater Bombay ordered to issue Proclamation warrant against him. Despite sustained efforts over the time to trace him, the absconding accused had remained untraceable.

Absconding Accused Frequently Changed Residences

The accused Dinesh D. Gehlot had frequently changed residences. He had misled the local residents about his real identity and had maintained minimal interaction with locals, further hindering efforts to trace him.

CBI Employs Advanced Technology to Locate Accused

The CBI through the deployment of advanced technological tools and identity-tracking databases, meticulously analyzed the digital footprint of the absconding accused to ascertain his current identity and location. Supplemented by extensive field investigations and on-ground inquiries, the CBI team successfully located the accused Dinesh D. Gehlot in Noida.

Accused Apprehended and Remanded to Judicial Custody

Pursuant to his identification, the accused Dinesh D. Gehlot was apprehended on 20.08.2025 and produced before the Competent Court at Mumbai, which remanded him to judicial custody for the purpose of further trial proceedings. The accused is presently undergoing trial.

CBI Highlights Technology and Persistence in Law Enforcement

“This case is a classic example of how the integration of technology-driven intelligence platforms with the persistent and coordinated efforts of investigating officers on the ground can substantially augment the operational capabilities of law enforcement agencies in tracing and apprehending long-absconding offenders,” said a CBI official.

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Crime

After ED, CBI raids premises linked to Anil Ambani in Rs 2,000 crore bank fraud case

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Mumbai, Aug 23: Days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned businessman Anil Ambani in a money laundering case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday raided premises linked to Reliance Communications (RCOM) and its Promoter Director.

The raids, conducted at multiple places in Mumbai, were in connection with an alleged fraud that caused a loss of over Rs 2,000 crore to the State Bank of India (SBI), according to sources.

The SBI classified RCOM and 66-year-old Ambani as “fraud” on June 13 in accordance with the Reserve Bank of India’s Master Directions on Fraud Risk Management and the Bank’s Board-approved Policy on Classification, Reporting & Management of Frauds.

In its letter to RCom, SBI said it found deviation in the utilisation of loans, involving a complex web of fund movements across multiple group entities.

“We have taken cognisance of the responses to our show-cause notice and after due examination of the same, it is concluded that sufficient reasons have not been provided by the respondent, to explain the non-adherence to the agreed terms and conditions of the loan documents or the irregularities observed in the conduct of the account of RCL to the satisfaction of the bank,” the bank said.

As per RBI guidelines, after a bank classifies an account as “fraud”, the lender should then report it to the RBI within 21 days of detection and also report the case to the CBI or police.

Earlier this month, Anil Ambani faced a gruelling nine-hour interrogation at the ED headquarters in the national capital regarding an alleged Rs 17,000-crore loan fraud case.

The regulator was set to call Anil Ambani again for questioning in a couple of days, according to sources.

Reliance Group Chairman had reportedly sought 7-10 days from the probe agency to submit documents related to the alleged scam.

According to sources, Anil Ambani sought to deny any involvement in the case, maintaining that all financial decisions were taken by the internal board of his companies, and that he only signed them.

The ED had conducted raids at locations linked to Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group. Investigators seized a large number of documents, hard drives, and other digital records from several sites in Mumbai and Delhi. The raids began as part of a money laundering investigation into the Yes Bank loan fraud case.

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Crime

Mumbai: 4-Year-Old Girl With Mental Health Condition Dies After Accidentally Falling Into Water Bucket In Malad East

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Mumbai: A four-year-old girl tragically died after accidentally falling headfirst into a water-filled bucket at her home in Malad East. The incident occurred on August 19, when her family was collecting water during the limited supply hours. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared her dead. The Dindoshi police have registered a case of accidental death.

Police Note Child Had Mental Health Condition

The deceased, identified as Akriti Yadav, lived with her parents and two siblings in Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Malad East. Her parents work as daily wage labourers. According to the police, Akriti had a mental health condition.

On the morning of the incident, Akriti’s parents and relatives woke up early to store water in buckets, tubs and drums. Sometime later, Akriti woke up, walked towards one of the buckets, and accidentally toppled in headfirst. A family member noticed her legs protruding from the bucket and immediately raised an alarm.

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