Connect with us
Sunday,13-October-2024
Breaking News

Crime

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

Published

on

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

Mira Road Murder: Husband Slits Wife’s Throat In Broad Daylight Minutes After She Leaves Naya Nagar Police Station

Published

on

Mira Road Murder: Husband Slits Wife's Throat In Broad Daylight Minutes After She Leaves Naya Nagar Police Station

Mira Bhayandar: In a horrifying incident, a woman was brutally murdered in broad daylight by her husband, minutes after she left the Naya Nagar police station in Mira Road on Friday afternoon. The accused has been arrested and booked for murder.

According to the police, the deceased who has been identified as Amreen Nadeem Khan was entangled in a marital dispute with her husband Nadeem Ahmed Khan. The dispute between the estranged couple was regarding domestic violence and custody of their two-year-old son.

About The Dispute

Amreen who was staying away from her husband had moved the district sessions court, Thane under the relevant sections of the Guardians and Wards Act, 1980 seeking custody of her minor son as a natural guardian. Considering the aspect of better company and care, the district judge in his order had awarded custody of the child to the mother, while directing the police to provide adequate protection to ensure that no obstacles are created by the opposite party in the handover process. Amreen had gone to the police station on Friday seeking intervention.

“I noticed the woman sitting in the waiting area awaiting her turn to meet the senior police officer. When enquired she narrated her ordeal following which I assured to help her out. However, when I came back she had already left. A few minutes later I learnt that a woman was brutally attacked near the N.H.High School. And to my shock and disbelief, the victim turned out to be Amreen. Had the police shown some sensitivity in the matter, the gruesome incident could have been averted,” alleged social activist Dr. Suresh Yewle. 

Prakash Gaikwad, DCP (Zone-1) Refutes The Allegations

Refuting the allegation as vague and baseless, DCP (Zone I)-Prakash Gaikwad said, “After receiving the order, we promptly provided police protection to the woman to get custody of the child. Our team had gone to their apartment on Thursday. However, neither he nor the child were present at home, so our team had to return empty-handed.”

After leaving the police station, the woman had apparently gone to meet her elder daughter at the nearby N.H. High School, where the accused accosted her, stabbed and slit her throat with a knife.” While the woman succumbed to her injuries, Nadeem who was caught by locals and handed over to the police later claimed that his family including the child had gone to Ajmer.  With no remorse for his gruesome act, Nadeem has confessed to the crime. 

Further investigations were underway. 

Continue Reading

Crime

Mumbai: FIR Lodged Against BMC’s S-Ward Officials For Carrying Out Illegal Demolition Of Jai Bhim Nagar Slum

Published

on

Mumbai: FIR Lodged Against BMC's S-Ward Officials For Carrying Out Illegal Demolition Of Jai Bhim Nagar Slum

The Powai police have registered an FIR against officials from the BMC’s S-ward, HPG Communication Company, and four associates for allegedly carrying out an illegal demolition in the Jai Bhim Nagar slum in Powai on June 6.

The S-ward officials have not been named in the FIR but the associates have been identified; they are Namit Keni, Aniket Kirdat, Sanjay Pandey, and Ranvijay Varma.

The slum dwellers had approached the Bombay High Court against the demolition in the middle of the monsoon, which is in contravention of the law. As per the court’s direction, the police established a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which submitted its report that was accepted and registration of a case was ordered.

The Powai police registered the case on October 5 and the Bombay High Court was informed that they will register an FIR against errant BMC officers and policemen who were responsible for the demolition of 650 tenements.

According to the FIR that has been registered against civic officials, the accused allegedly conspired and provided false information to the police, claiming they had obtained an order from the State Human Rights Commission for the demolition and requested police protection. On June 6, the civic workers arrived at the slum for the demolition, in which the dwellers opposed, leading to the alleged attack on the police.

Several police officers reportedly sustained injuries in the incident. After the SIT was constituted by the crime branch, the team led by Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Gautam Lakhami found out that the demolition had been carried out illegally.

After the SIT report was submitted before the court, Assistant Commissioner of Police Chenak Kakade filed a case at the Powai police station. The charges against the accused include sections 120~ B (criminal conspiracy), 167 (public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury), 177 (furnishing false information), 182 (false information intending to cause a public servant to misuse lawful power), and 218 (public servant framing an incorrect record) of the Indian Penal Code.

Continue Reading

Crime

CGST Busted 140 Crore Fake Invoice Racket

Published

on

CGST Busted 140 Crore Fake Invoice Racket

The CGST Mumbai Zone has busted two fake Input Tax Credit (ITC) rackets during “Second Special All-India Drive against fake registrations” involving fraudulent ITC GST of Rs. 140 Crore by issuing fake invoices amounting to Rs. 760 Crore and arrested two persons for defrauding government ex-chequer. After extensive search operations and investigation, it was discovered that the masterminds of the two rackets have floated 92 dubious firms to fraudulently avail ITC by generating fake invoices with the sole intent to pass on fraudulent ITC to its various recipients without actual movement of the goods/services.

1. In one matter, Thane CGST Commissionerate has arrested Shri Hitesh Shantilal Vasa, a mastermind who has registered 22 non-bonafide firms/companies, involved in availing fraudulent ITC of Rs. 48 crores and passed on ITC of Rs. 44 crores, totally 92 crore without actual movement of the goods/services. He was also involved in circular trading to inflate turnover of these non-genuine firms. He has misused KYC documents viz. Aadhar card, PAN card, etc. of other persons for the purpose of obtaining GST registrations and opening bank accounts. He was arrested on 10.10.2024 under Section 69 of the CGST Act 2017 for contravention of Section 132 of the CGST Act, 2017 and remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody.

2. In other matter, Palghar CGST Commissionerate, has busted a racket involving issuance of fake invoices worth Rs 320 Crore without actual supply of goods and services with an intent to avail fraudulent ITC of Rs. 22 Crore and passing on fraudulent ITC to the tune of Rs 26 crore, totally Rs 48 crore, using 70 shell firms without actual movement of goods/services. The kingpin of the racket, Shri. Ashok Harilal Oza was arrested on 10.10. 2024 and remanded to 13 days judicial custody.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending