Mohammed Zubair’s Alt News Received Donations From Pakistan, Syria: Delhi Police

Counsel for Delhi Police said in the Court that Pravda Media, Alt News' parent company received a total of around Rs 2 lakh in donation.

Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and inciting riots, being produced in the Patiala House Courts, in New Delhi, Saturday, July 2, 2022.

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Saturday while urging the court to reject Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair’s bail plea alleged that his news organisation received donations from Pakistan, Syria, and other Gulf countries. Counsel for the Delhi Police, Atul Shrivastava told Chief Metropolitan Magistrate that a total of around 2 lakh rupees has been received by Pravda Media, Alt News’ parent company, reported news agency ANI. 

“During social media analysis, it was noticed that Twitter handles supporting Mohammad Zubair after his arrest were from Pakistan & mostly middle eastern countries like UAE, Bahrain & Kuwait,” the counsel said. 

“A total of about Rs 2,31,933 have been received by Pravda Media, Alt News parent company,” he added. 

During social media analysis, it was noticed that Twitter handles supporting Mohammad Zubair after his arrest, were from Pakistan & mostly middle eastern countries like UAE, Bahrain & Kuwait

A total of about Rs 2,31,933 have been received by Pravda Media, Alt News parent company

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2022

“From the analysis of the reply received from Razorpay Payment gateway, various transactions, with phone numbers or IP addresses outside India, were from locations including Bangkok, Manama, North-Holland, Singapore, Victoria, New York, England, Riyadh Region…” the counsel added.

“Locations also included Baladīyat ad Dawḩah, Sharjah, Stockholm, Aichi, Central, Western & Eastern Provinces of UAE, Abu Dhabi, Washington DC, Kansas, New Jersey, Ontario, California, Texas, Lower Saxony, Bern, Dubai, Uusimaa, & Scotland,” Shrivastava said further. 

The counsel alleged that the accused, Mohammed Zubair, has “smartly deleted” everything adding that it’s “not just a case of a simple tweet. 

“Donations are from Pakistan, Syria, so considering gravity,it's not just a case of a simple tweet...accused is Pravda Media director,he smartly deleted everything...In such circumstances,bail application should be dismissed...deletion of data from phone after FIR important,” he said. 

Donations are from Pakistan, Syria, so considering gravity,it's not just a case of a simple tweet...accused is Pravda Media director,he smartly deleted everything...In such circumstances,bail application should be dismissed...deletion of data from phone after FIR imp:Delhi Police

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2022

On Saturday, three new charged were added in the FIR lodged against Mohammed Zubair which includes two sections of the Indian Penal Code — Section 201 (for the destruction of evidence, formatted phone and deleted tweets) and Section 120B (for criminal conspiracy) have been invoked. The third is Section 35 of the FCRA in connection with the allegation that he received donations from foreign countries as per ANI report.