HC directs no coercive action against Alt News Founder

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HC directs no coercive action against Alt News Founder

Zubair had moved the court seeking ex-parte relief that no adverse action be taken against him pursuant to the reported FIR registered against him

Wednesday September 9, 2020 7:48 PM, IANS

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed no coercive against Alt News Founder Mohammed Zubair till further order.

Zubair had moved the court seeking ex-parte relief that no adverse action be taken against him pursuant to the reported FIR registered by Delhi Police Cyber Cell against him for allegedly "threatening and torturing a girl child through Twitter".

Next Hearing on Dec 8

A single-judge bench presided by Justice Yogesh Khanna also directed the Delhi Police to file a status report within eight weeks and slated the matter for hearing on December 8.

The court also asked Twitter India to cooperate with the Police and assist them on their probe.

Recently, after the complaint by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) over allegedly "threatening and torturing a girl child through Twitter", the Delhi Police Cyber Cell and the Raipur Police had filed FIRs under sections of the IT Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against Zubair.

In his plea filed before the High Court, Zubair states:

"Two separate FIRs have been registered against the petitioner, one by Delhi Police Cyber Cell and other in Chhattisgarh. Petitioner is filing the present petition in respect of FIR in Delhi. He is in the process of challenging FIR registered in Chhattisgarh separately. The Petitioner fears that he may be arrested by Delhi Police immediately, hence the present petition."

He further stated that he is a journalist and co-founder of India's most read fact-checking website news outlet Alt News.

The plea further said:

"The Petitioner is a dedicated citizen who through his news outlet debunks misinformation put out by individuals and by political parties without any bias. Due to the nature of his work the Petitioner is often abused, threatened and demeaned by people the website debunk and expose or their blind supporters."

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