The Tweet & Handle That Led To Mohammed Zubair’s Arrest; Editors Guild Demand His Release

By OB Bureau On Jun 28, 2022

zubair judicial custody lakhimpur kheri case

New Delhi: Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair was arrested on Monday by Delhi Police. Why?

An anonymous Twitter complaint, a scene from a film, and a previously unknown case are some of the reasons that have emerged so far.

Zubair was arrested on the charges of outraging religious feelings and promoting enmity between different groups. The fact-checker was arrested over a 2018 tweet carrying a “questionable image with a purpose to deliberately insult the god of a particular religion,” the police said.

What is the questionable image?

It is taken from the scene of the 1983 comedy film Kissi Se Na Kehna, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee.Mohammed Zubair, on 24 March 2018, tweeted a picture of the signboard of a hotel changed from ‘Honeymoon Hotel’ to ‘Hanuman Hotel.’

“Before 2014: Honeymoon Hotel. After 2014: Hanuman Hotel. #SanskaariHotel,” he had written.

The anonymous complaint

“In the month of June, 2022, when Delhi Police was alerted by a twitter handle that Mohammad Zubair had earlier made an objectionable tweet and his followers/social media entities had amplified and created a series of debates/hate mongering in the tread, he was examined in this case and his role was found objectionable,” the police has said in a statement.

The complaint was registered by a Twitter handle ‘@balajikijaiin’.

The account, whose user(s) remain anonymous, calls itself ‘Hanuman Bhakt.’ It is based out of Rajasthan, as per its location in the bio.

The account, made in October 2021, had put out a single tweet, which appeared to be its first, on 19 June 2022, complaining that Zubair has insulted Hindus.

In response to Zubair’s 2018 tweet, the user wrote, “@DelhiPolice Linking our God Hanuman ji with Honey Moon is direct insult of Hindus because he is brahmchari @DCP_CCC_Delhi kindly take action against this guy.”

Follow me @balajikijaiin

— Hanuman Bhakt (@balajikijaiin) June 27, 2022

The account has posted two new tweets after Zubair’s arrest. One of the tweets raises a complaint against the other co-founder of Alt News, Pratik Sinha.

Retweeting a 2019 tweet of Sinha’s on Ganesha, the anonymous user wrote, “What would you call it? This person openly hurting the religious freedom of Hindus. @DelhiPolice @DCP_CCC_Delhi Kindly take action.”

Meanwhile, the Editors Guild has condemned Zubair’s arrest, calling it ‘Disturbing,’ ‘Unjustifiable.’ In the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the G7 summit, where he backed free speech both online and offline, the EGI said it demands the Delhi Police should immediately release Zubair.