In the latest development, Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been included in the FIR filed against Alt News cofounder and editor Mohammed Zubair who tweeted against Ghaziabad’s Dasna temple head priest Yati Narsinghanand for using inflammatory and ‘blasphemous’ remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
The Allahabad High Court, on November 25, had directed the investigation officer to include all mandatory penal sections under which Zubair has been charged.
The court permitted the amendment and scheduled the next hearing on December 3.
What does Section 152 of BNS states:
According to the section, whoever, purposely or knowingly, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or by electronic communication or by use of financial means, or otherwise, excites or attempts to excite, secession or armed rebellion or subversive activities, or encourages feelings of separatist activities or endangers sovereignty or unity and integrity of India; or indulges in or commits any such act shall be punished with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
What is Zubair-Yati Narsinghanand case
On September 29, Narsinghanand delivered a speech where he told his followers to burn effigies of Prophet Muhammad instead of the demon king Ravana.
His remarks created widespread uproar amongst the Muslim community with FIRs being lodged in Ghaziabad, Maharashtra and Hyderabad.
Zubair had tweeted about the video questioning Narsinghanand’s intentions and accused him of repeatedly making derogatory remarks against Muslims and provoking a riot-like situation.
Subsequently, an FIR was lodged on October 7 by Udita Tyagi, general secretary of the Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati Foundation.
Tyagi alleged that Zubair had shared the video with the intention of inciting communal disharmony. The FIR also mentioned the principal of Darul Uloom Deobandv Maulana Arshad Madani and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
The Ghaziabad police then charged Zubair under Sections 196 (promoting enmity on religious grounds), 228 (fabricating false evidence), 299 (outraging religious feelings by insulting religion or religious beliefs), 356(3) (defamation), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the BNS.
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