Today, On 3rd March, The Allahabad High Court reserved its verdict on journalist Mohammed Zubair’s plea to quash an FIR filed against him for a tweet about Yati Narsinghanand. A Bench comprising Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Yogendra Kumar Srivastava heard the matter. The court also extended the interim protection from arrest granted to Zubair in December 2024. The final ruling on the case is now awaited.
The Allahabad High Court reserved its judgment on Monday regarding a plea from Alt News journalist and co-founder Mohammed Zubair. He is seeking to quash an FIR filed by the Uttar Pradesh Police for criticizing a speech made by Yati Narsinghanand, a priest at the Ghaziabad Dasna Devi Temple.
The State argued that the FIR cannot be partially quashed, stating that if any cognizable offense is established, the court cannot entertain Zubair’s petition.
After hearing both sides, a bench consisting of Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Yogendra Kumar Srivastava reserved its verdict and extended the interim protection from arrest that was granted to Zubair in December 2024.
Also Read: Allahabad High Court Again Extends Protection for Journalist Mohammed Zubair Till March 3
Zubair faces accusations under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly threatening India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity after he tweeted that Narsinghanand’s speech was “derogatory and hateful.”
Narsinghanand, who has faced charges of hate speech in the past, made remarks against Prophet Muhammad during a public address on September 29, which led to multiple FIRs against him in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana for inciting communal hatred and hurting religious sentiments. Following these events, protests erupted at the Dasna Devi Temple.
Zubair’s tweet prompted a complaint from Udita Tyagi, General Secretary of the Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati Foundation, who alleged that Zubair shared an old video clip of Narsinghanand intending to incite violence against him.
Tyagi’s complaint also implicated Zubair, Arshad Madani, and Asaduddin Owaisi for the violent protests at Dasna Devi Mandi.
In his plea to the High Court, Zubair argued that his post aimed to highlight Narsinghanand’s repeated communal remarks and derogatory comments about women and politicians. He claimed that the FIR against him is a malicious attempt to prevent him from exposing Narsinghanand’s alleged criminal activities.
The Ghaziabad Police filed the FIR against Zubair in October over his social media post featuring a video of Yati Narsinghanand.
In the video, the seer is heard calling for the end of Islam. Narsinghanand has previously been known for making inflammatory speeches and inciting violence against Muslims.
The Ghaziabad Police charged Zubair under various sections of the BNS, including Sections 196 (promoting enmity on religious grounds), 228 (fabricating false evidence), 299 (outraging religious feelings), 356(3) (defamation), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation), with the addition of Section 152 later on.
During an event in Ghaziabad on September 29, Narsinghanand was allegedly heard urging people to burn effigies of the Prophet. Following this, Udita Tyagi, General Secretary of the Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati Trust, filed a complaint on October 3, accusing Zubair of sharing an old video clip of Narsinghanand with the intent to provoke violence against him.
Case Title: Mohammed Zubair v State & Ors.