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‘Travelled to Saudi Arabia, foreign contribution from inimical countries’: Zubair under lens of security agencies

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Mohammed Zubair, who claimed to have chased facts, has been under spotlight following his arrest in connection with his controversial tweets.

According to security agencies, Zubair, a resident of Bengaluru and holding a Bachelor of Engineering degree in telecom engineering from private M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT), has travelled to Saudi Arabia and Australia.

On two separate occasions, the UP government had vehemently opposed Zubair’s bail in connection with FIRs registered in UP. On July 8, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, told the Supreme Court that the matter is not about a single tweet by Zubair, but rather whether he is part of a syndicate which puts out tweets to destabilize the society.

Mehta further added that in a separate case registered by the Delhi Police, Zubair was under investigation because his company has received foreign contributions from countries, which are inimical to India. He said Zubair’s tweet at a particular time created a law-and-order situation, which is under investigation and “there is something more to it than meets the eye”.

He emphasised that the matter is not of a single tweet, instead his overall conduct is under investigation and added that Zubair is a habitual offender and there are six cases against him in UP.

However, the top court granted an interim bail for 5 days to Zubair in connection with a case registered against him by the UP Police for a tweet, where he allegedly called Hindu seers hatemongers.

Twelve days later, Uttar Pradesh’s Additional Advocate General Garima Prasad contended in the Supreme Court that Zubair is a person who, instead of informing the police of hate speech, has been taking advantage of speeches and videos having potential of creating a communal divide and he had shared them repeatedly.

Counsel claimed his tweets are meant to inflame communal violence, which actually took place, in certain localities of Uttar Pradesh, where videos of crimes were used along with comments to incite communal elements to indulge in violence.

However, the Supreme Court said there is “absolutely no justification” in subjecting Zubair to endless custody for his tweets, as it granted interim bail to him in six criminal cases registered against him in UP and ordered his immediate release from jail.

During arguments in the apex court, the top court identified Zubair as a journalist, while Prasad argued that he was not a journalist and sought directions to restrain him from tweeting.

Refusing to restrain Zubair from tweeting, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said “It is like telling a lawyer that you should not argue. How can we tell a journalist that he will not write?….” As

Prasad reiterated, “He is not a journalist…”, Justice Chandrachud added that if he violates any law by tweeting, then the authorities can proceed against him as per law.

Zubair has a family with a wife, kids, and parents. He completed his engineering degree in 2005. He then joined Airtel Enterprises in Bengaluru as an engineer for two years. He then worked in CISCO-HCL company for one year before joining Nokia-Siemens Network in 2008 and travelled the entire country including all big metros as part of his job. Zubair worked for the NSN for a decade and met Pravda Media Foundation Director Pratik Sinha and his mother Nirjhari Sinha in 2015.

Pratik Sinha’s father Mukul Sinha ran a campaign against then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi over Gujarat riots. It was after this meeting that Zubair and Pravada Foundation joined hands to set up Alt News by as a fact checking website. The UP state counsel on Wednesday told the apex court that Zubair has earned more than Rs 2 crore for his malicious tweets and is not a journalist. Zubair had moved the top court seeking interim bail in six FIRs registered in UP over his tweets.

Crime

Police official suspended over case involving Telangana minister’s former OSD

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Hyderabad, Aug 25: Inspector of Jubilee Hills Police Station in Hyderabad has been suspended over Forest and Endowments Minister Konda Surekha’s former OSD, N. Sumanth’s case.

Muttu Yadav, the Inspector (Station House Officer) of Jubilee Hills Police Station, faced the action over the alleged delay in filing the First Information Report (FIR) and failure to trace Sumanth.

Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar issued orders, suspending the SHO. A departmental inquiry has also been ordered into the handling of the case by the police.

Sumanth remained at large in a case of alleged assault on a real estate businessman. His driver was picked up by police on Sunday.

Sumanth and five others were booked following a complaint filed by the realtor, who alleged that he was assaulted with iron rods and that the accused demanded Rs 10 crore from him.

An attempt to murder case was registered against the former OSD and five others.

A zero FIR was registered against N. Sumanth and five others at Medipally Police Station of Malkajgiri Police Commissionerate last week.

Later, the case was transferred to Jubilee Hills Police Station of Hyderabad Commissionerate.

Gongidi Harikrishna, a resident of Boduppal, lodged a complaint. Harikrishna alleged that he was assaulted with iron rods and sticks and threatened with dire consequences.

The case was registered against former OSD Sumanth, Ramu, Prashanth, Arun Kumar Reddy, Karthik and Mahender Reddy under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The complainant said Sumanth and others assaulted him on July 30.

Harikrishna stated that Sumanth asked him to meet at Ramu’s office. Sumanth allegedly abused him and hit him with an iron rod. On Sumanth’s direction, others also joined the assault.

The complainant claimed that he sustained a fracture to his left hand, bleeding injuries and other injuries and that he underwent surgery on August 10.

The case was registered amid a controversy involving Minister Konda Surekha’s family.

Her daughter Konda Sushmitha’s recent remarks against Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy triggered a storm in the ruling Congress party.

At her mother’s birthday celebrations in Warangal district, Sushmita declared that she would contest from Parkala Assembly constituency in the next elections even if she was denied a party ticket. She also made allegations of corruption against the Chief Minister’s family.

Taking serious note of the allegations, the disciplinary committee of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) issued a show-cause notice to the minister.

Surekha distanced herself from her daughter’s remarks, saying the latter expressed her personal views.

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National News

KMVSTDCL funds routed to Rahul Gandhi’s house, alleges Karnataka BJP leader

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Bengaluru, Aug 25: Former Karnataka Minister and BJP leader, B. Sriramulu, on Tuesday alleged that the funds allegedly misappropriated from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Limited (KMVSTDCL) were routed to the residence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Addressing the media at the BJP state headquarters Jagannatha Bhavan in Bengaluru, Sriramulu alleged that BJP leaders had raised slogans in the Assembly claiming that the misappropriated Valmiki Corporation funds had reached Rahul Gandhi’s residence and the government curtailed the Assembly session.

Sriramulu said the BJP has decided to undertake a padayatra from September 1, led by state BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra, BJP leaders Gali Janardhana Reddy, R. Ashoka, Bangaru Hanumantu and other party leaders.

The 10-day padayatra will begin in Raichur on September 1 and conclude in Ballari on September 10, he said.

“The padayatra will highlight issues including the government’s alleged negligence towards irrigation, corruption in the ST Corporation and the Valmiki Corporation issue. The Congress has been neglecting Dalits. The BJP is undertaking this major padayatra because we will not allow injustice to be done to Dalits,” Sriramulu said.

Sriramulu accused Congress leaders of shedding “crocodile tears” over issues concerning Dalits.

He alleged that the government had curtailed the Assembly session after taking note of the BJP’s protests over the issue.

“Protests were held in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. Congress leaders have betrayed Babasaheb Ambedkar, Babu Jagjivan Ram and the Dalit community,” he alleged.

It can be noted that the Valmiki Corporation scam involves the alleged illegal diversion of funds from the KMVSTDCL.

The alleged scam came to light in May 2024 following the suicide of 52-year-old corporation superintendent Chandrasekar. P., who left a suicide note detailing unauthorised fund transfers and corruption.

While initial irregularities centered around smaller figures, investigative agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) pegged the total misappropriation and diverted funds at around Rs 89 crore.

Funds earmarked for tribal welfare projects were illegally moved to unauthorised bank accounts—including bogus accounts opened using forged KYC documents at the Union Bank of India’s MG Road branch in Bengaluru—and later layered through shell cooperatives like Hyderabad’s First Finance Credit Cooperative Society.

The then-Karnataka Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare was identified by probe agencies as a primary mastermind behind the layering and siphoning of the funds. Nagendra previously resigned from the Cabinet, faced arrest, and later secured bail.

Currently, Nagendra has recently taken charge of Minister for Planning and Statistics in the Cabinet led by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. BJP and JD (S) have announced that they will agitate until Nagendra is sacked from the Cabinet.

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Crime

Delhi Police arrest 20-year-old, recover 200 quarters of illicit Haryana liquor

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New Delhi, Aug 25: Prompt action by the staff of Delhi’s Hauz Qazi police station led to the arrest of a 20-year-old man on Tuesday and the recovery of 200 quarters of illicit country-made liquor being transported for illegal sale in the national capital.

The police also seized a grey-coloured scooty used for transporting the liquor. A case under the relevant provisions of the Delhi Excise Act has been registered, and further investigation is underway.

According to police, the incident took place on August 24 at around 10.30 p.m., when staff of PS Hauz Qazi were conducting routine patrolling in the area of Lal Kuan Road near Farashkhana Road.

During the patrolling, the police team noticed a person on a scooty coming from the Lal Kuan side. On spotting the police personnel, the rider suddenly turned the vehicle around and started moving in the opposite direction, raising suspicion.

The police team immediately followed and intercepted the scooty. During the subsequent checking, a heavy white plastic bag was found placed on the vehicle. The rider allegedly failed to provide any satisfactory explanation regarding the contents of the bag.

Upon checking the bag, the police recovered 200 quarters of country-made liquor, each containing 180 ml. The bottles were bearing the label, “For Sale in Haryana Only”.

The rider was identified as Akash, a resident of Burari in Delhi, aged about 20 years. The recovered liquor was taken into possession in accordance with the law, while the scooty used for its transportation was also seized.

Accordingly, FIR No. 389/26 under Sections 33 and 38 of the Delhi Excise Act was registered at PS Hauz Qazi, and further investigation was initiated.

The recovery was made by a police team comprising SI Ranvijay Singh, In-charge of Police Post Rodgran, Head Constable Paramveer, and Constable Daya Chand. The operation was carried out under the leadership of Inspector Amrender Kumar Suman, SHO of PS Hauz Qazi, and under the overall supervision of Rajiv Bhardwaj, ACP, Kamla Market.

Police said the alertness and prompt response of the patrolling team led to the interception of the accused and the recovery of a substantial quantity of illicit liquor. The seizure of the scooty allegedly used for transportation has further strengthened the investigation into the illegal transportation and supply of liquor.

During interrogation, Akash disclosed that he used to procure illicit liquor from areas near the Haryana border and subsequently supply it in and around the Sadar area of Delhi to earn money and meet his personal expenses.

The accused was further questioned about the source of the recovered liquor and the persons allegedly involved in its procurement and supply. Police said efforts are underway to identify the source and ascertain whether other persons are involved in the illegal liquor supply network.

Police records revealed that Akash, son of Pappu, was previously involved in an Excise Act case registered at PS Burari. He was named in FIR No. 254/25 under Sections 33 and 38 of the Delhi Excise Act.

Further investigation is in progress.

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