The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday formed a two-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire about the six cases registered against journalist and Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair in various parts of the state, including two in Hathras, and one each in Sitapur, Ghaziabad, Lakhimpur Kheri and Muzaffarnagar.
Inspector General Dr Preetinder Singh, posted at the Department of Prisons Administration and Reform has been made president of the SIT and Deputy Inspector General of Police Amit Verma is an SIT member, the UP Police said in a press release.
The local police will be handing over all the files related to Zubair’s case to the SIT team, a senior official said, The Indian Express reported. However, the police have not yet registered charge sheets in any of the cases related to Zubair.
As per the police officials, the SIT will be taking assistance from the Additional Superintendent of Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Inspector-rank officers.
The cases against Zubair, who is currently lodged at Delhi’s Tihar jail include charges related to hurting religious sentiment for calling Hindu seers booked for hate speech as ‘hatemongers’, allegedly misleading people on Twitter about a news channel anchor, promoting enmity and uploading posts insulting to Hindu deities.
Meanwhile, a Lakhimpur Kheri court on Monday sent Zubair to a 14-day judicial remand for allegedly promoting enmity.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court extended Zubair’s five-day interim bail till further orders in connection with the Sitapur case.
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Rabia Shireen is a Staff Reporter at The Cognate.
