SC Extends Interim Bail of Zubair in Sitapur Case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended the interim bail granted to Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair in the case registered against him by Uttar Pradesh Police in Sitapur.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna posted the matter for hearing on September 7 and also granted four weeks to the Uttar Pradesh government to file a response on Zubair's plea.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government sought time to file an affidavit on Zubair's plea, reported ANI.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing Zubair, told the bench that his interim bail was only for five days and is expiring today.

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To this, the bench said that it will continue the interim bail of Zubair.

"State seeks time to file a counter-affidavit. Reply to be filed within 4 weeks and rejoinder within 2 weeks thereafter. Interim bail in the Sitapur FIR case shall continue. List for final disposal on September 7, 2022," the bench stated in its order as per the report of ANI.

Zubair has challenged the Allahabad High Court order refusing to quash an FIR registered against him by Uttar Pradesh police in Sitapur for a tweet in which he allegedly called three Hindu seers 'hate mongers'.

Last week, he was granted interm bail by the apex court for five days in the FIR registered against him in Sitapur.

The top court had made it clear that the interim bail order was only with respect to FIR lodged in Sitapur against Zubair and it has nothing to do with the case registered in Delhi.

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