Lakhimpur Kheri court sends Alt News co-founder Zubair to 14-day judicial custody

LAKHIMPUR: A court here sent Alt News Co-founder Mohammad Zubair to 14-day judicial custody in connection with a case lodged against him for allegedly promoting enmity.

Zubair was produced in the court of the Mohammadi additional chief judicial magistrate through video conferencing, Assistant Prosecuting Officer Avadhesh Yadav said.

The prosecution had sought police custody, a plea countered by the Zubair's counsel. The court sent him to 14-day judicial custody, Yadav said. The next hearing on the plea for his police custody has now been fixed for July 13, he added.

The Lakhimpur Kheri police had served a warrant on Zubair to appear in the court in connection with an FIR lodged against him for promoting enmity in 2021.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Arun Kumar Singh had told PTI on Saturday, "The court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Mohammadi in Kheri district has issued the warrant against Mohd Zubair, which was served by Kheri police on Friday." Mohammadi police station incharge Ambar Singh had told PTI that the case against Zubair was lodged on November 25 by Ashish Katiyar, a reporter for a private news channel.

"In his complaint, Katiyar had accused Zubair of misleading people through his tweet about his channel," he said.