Mohammed Zubair booked for alleged threat to India’s sovereignty over tweet on Yati Narsinghanand
Ghaziabad Police add s.152 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and s.66 of IT Act to the FIR against Zubair.
Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court was informed on November 27 that Mohammed Zubair, journalist and co-founder of Alt News, is now being charged with offences under s.152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and s.66 of the Information Technology Act. This follows an FIR lodged by Ghaziabad Police over Zubair’s tweet calling out Yati Narsinghanand for alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
Zubair has approached the High Court, seeking protection from arrest. During the hearing on November 25, the Court directed the investigating officer (IO) to file an affidavit specifying the penal sections applied. The IO’s affidavit submitted today disclosed the addition of new charges to the FIR. The Court permitted the amendment and scheduled the next hearing for December 3.
Under s.152 of the BNS, actions or communications that incite secession, rebellion, or activities endangering India's unity and sovereignty can lead to life imprisonment or up to seven years of imprisonment along with a fine.
The FIR against Zubair was based on a complaint by Udita Tyagi, General Secretary of the Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati Foundation. Tyagi accused Zubair of inciting violence by sharing an old video clip of Narsinghanand on October 3.
The complaint emerged after Zubair highlighted a public speech made by Narsinghanand on September 29, allegedly containing hate speech against Prophet Muhammad. Zubair referred to the speech as "derogatory and hateful" in his tweet.
While FIRs were registered against Narsinghanand across states, including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana, for inciting communal hatred, his supporters accused Zubair, Arshad Madani, and Asaduddin Owaisi of provoking protests at Ghaziabad’s Dasna Devi Temple.
In his plea, Zubair alleged that the FIR against him is a malicious attempt to deter him from exposing Narsinghanand’s communal and derogatory remarks. He also pointed out that Tyagi had referred to the FIR as a "publicity stunt" in a social media post.
Further developments are awaited as the High Court will hear the matter next on December 3.
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Four doctors in Kerala booked for birth of newborn with genetic disorders
Alappuzha, (Kerala) (PTI): Four doctors in Kerala have been booked for allegedly failing to detect genetic disorders in a newborn while it was still in the mother's womb, the police said on Thursday.
The accused include two female doctors attached to the Kadappuram Government Women and Child Hospital in Alappuzha, along with two doctors from private diagnostic labs, according to the Alappuzha South police.
The police registered an FIR on Tuesday based on a complaint lodged by Anish and Surumi, a couple from Alappuzha.
They alleged that the doctors failed to detect or disclose the genetic abnormalities during prenatal scans, instead assuring them that the reports were normal.
The couple also claimed that they were shown the baby only four days after delivery, according to the complaint.
The FIR stated that Surumi, 35, was undergoing treatment for her third pregnancy at Kadappuram Women and Child Hospital.
On October 30, Surumi was admitted for delivery. However, she was referred to Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) in Vandanam, Alappuzha, citing the absence of fetal movement and heartbeat, the FIR said.
On November 8, the baby was delivered following surgery at MCH and was found to have severe internal and external deformities, the FIR stated.
Meanwhile, one of the accused doctors, responding to the allegations, said she had treated Surumi only during the initial months of her pregnancy.
"I provided care for three months at the beginning of her pregnancy. The reports shown to me indicated issues with the fetus's growth," she said.
The doctors associated with the diagnostic labs, however, maintained that there were no errors in the scan reports.
The police registered a case invoking Sections 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 125 (b) (where grievous hurt is caused, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the accused.
