In a sudden development, Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair’s lawyer Soutik Banerjee has dismissed the earlier reports that the fact checker’s bail has been dismissed by Delhi’s Patiala House Court.
Addressing the reporters here on Saturday, the lawyer said that the court is yet to provide the order on Zubair’s bail plea.
Referring to the whole episode as “extremely scandalous” Banerjee said, “There are news channels who have run this news. There are certain law reporters who have run this news. All citing KPS Malhotra as the source of this information. It is extremely scandalous and it speaks as the status of law in our country today.”
Earlier rumours surfaced that Delhi’s Patiala House Court rejected the bail plea of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, granting the Delhi police an extended 14-day judicial custody of the journalist, on Saturday.
Zubair was arrested in a case related to an “objectionable tweet” he had posted in 2018 against a Hindu deity.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria allowed the police plea, which said further investigation was on.
The police had produced Zubair before the court on expiry of his five-day custodial interrogation and urged it to send him to judicial remand, saying they might need his custodial interrogation later.
After the police application, Zubair moved a bail application before the court.
(This is a developing story more details will be added as they emerge.)
