'Vicious cycle': SC to hear Zubair's plea on July 20, asks police to not take precipitative action against him

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopannatook took note of Zubair's submissions. The journalist has been facing a slew of FIRs and his plea needed an urgent hearing.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday ordered that no precipitative steps should be taken against Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair without the court's permission. It also listed his plea seeking interim bail in the FIRs registered against him for a hearing on July 20.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna said that it would take up the matter at the end of the board after it was informed by advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for Zubair that he is being produced before Hathras court today and the remand order will be passed. "We will list the petition for considering your interim bail the day after tomorrow. No coercive steps are to be taken against the petitioner without the leave of this court," said a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna.

The court said that the basis of FIR is the same in all the cases, in one he gets free, and he is arrested in some other. "This is a vicious cycle you know," said J Chandrachud to SG Tushar Mehta. Earlier, Grover said that the matter requires an urgent hearing as there is a threat to his life. "The FIR was lodged against Zubair by the complainant after a cash prize was put on his head. This is the same FIRs and same allegations and same tweet. He is being produced before different courts of UP and remanded to judicial custody. Today, he is being produced before Hathras court," she said. The bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to assist in the matter which it will take up after a break of 15-20 minutes.

Earlier, in the day, Zubair through Grover sought an urgent listing of his plea in the top court seeking quashing of FIRs lodged in UP. A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana took note of the submissions of Zubair's lawyer that the petitioner, a fact checker, and journalist, has been facing a slew of FIRs and his plea needed an urgent hearing.

"List it before Justice DY Chandrachud. You can mention before that bench," said the bench. The fresh plea of Zubair has also challenged the constitution of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the six cases. The plea said all the six FIRs filed in Uttar Pradesh that have been transferred to the SIT for investigation are the subject matter of the FIR which is being probed by the Delhi Police special cell. Separate FIRs have been lodged against Zubair in Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar, and Hathras districts on charges of allegedly hurting religious feelings, making sarcastic remarks on news anchors, disrespecting Hindu gods, and inflammatory posts.