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NIA investigates the link between the Udaipur beheading of Kanhaiya Lal and other ‘blasphemy’ killings like that of Kishan Bharwad: Details

OpIndia Staff
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NIA investigates the link between the Udaipur beheading of Kanhaiya Lal and other ‘blasphemy’ killings like that of Kishan Bharwad: Details

On the afternoon of 28th June 2022, 2 Muslim assailants walked into a Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal’s shop posing as customers and beheaded him for a post supporting Nupur Sharma. After the brutal beheading, the investigation of the case was taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

According to a report by CNN News 18, the NIA is now probing the links between the beheading of Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur and other murders in Gujarat and Maharashtra that were done in the name of “blasphemy” by Islamists.

There have been several recent cases where Islamists have unleashed violence and mayhem on the streets of India after they claimed that their sentiments were hurt by comments about Islam and Prophet Muhammad. Only recently, it was reported that in Maharashtra, on 21st June, a medical professional Umesh Kolhe was beheaded by Islamists for a post that supported former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

Before that, on 25th January, Kishan Bharwad was also murdered by 2 Islamists, Shabbir and Imtiaz. Kishan had shared a video which showed an image of Prophet Muhammad. Muslims firmly believe that the visual depiction of Muhammad is forbidden. Islamists believe that such a visual depiction is blasphemy and an ‘insult’ to Muhammad, and the beheading of the one who blasphemed is an appropriate punishment. Kishan had almost immediately started getting death threats.

“A mob of 500-1000 Muslim people reached police station and demanded action against Kishan. They filed police complaint and Kishan and I went to the police station. The mob then beat up Kishan. Some policemen also joined in in beating him up. They demanded Kishan apologises. So he apologised. We gave written apology as well as video apology,” his father said.

The mob came back unsatisfied with the action taken and filed another FIR. Kishan was arrested by the police and got bail the next day. Soon after he got bail, he was on his way to see his newborn child when the Jihadis murdered him. The case of Kishan Bharwad is also being investigated by the NIA along with ATS.

While the NIA is now trying to find a link between these brutal murders by Islamists, it has now emerged that the two Jihadis who killed Kanhaiya Lal may have had a handler who asked them to behead Lal ISIS-style and not shoot him. They were reportedly also instructed to capture the murder on video and make it viral so it strikes fear in the heart of Hindus.

Plan to kill a businessman in Udaipur

arly investigations, according to the report, have shown that the murders of Kanhaiya Lal, Mohammed Riyaz, and Mohammed Gaus had intended to kill a businessman in Udaipur who had shared a post on social media supporting Nupur Sharma. On June 7, businessman Nitin Jain admitted to unintentionally sharing a post with Nupur Sharma’s reference. A complaint was also filed against him for disturbing the communal harmony, and he was detained by police.

Since June 9, 7 people were conducting Recce at his establishment on a regular basis. On June 11, these terrorists planned to execute Nitin. However, out of fear, Nitin stopped visiting the shop and moved away from Udaipur to another city.

Bike with number plate 2611

Gaus and Riyaz had arrived on a motorcycle to assassinate Kanhaiya Lal. Interestingly, the bike’s licence plate had the shocking number 2611, the date of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Both had left the bike at a street corner 70 metres away from the shop of Kanhaiya Lal so that they could quickly flee after killing him.

Following the murder, both took the bike and rode it to a garage in Devgarh. Both had intended to stay there, but the garage owner refused. Following that, both of them hopped on the bike and headed toward Ajmer. They intended to escape to Ajmer, but the police apprehended both of them beforehand. The bike is now in police custody.

WhatsApp group to continue killings

During the inquiry, it was discovered that Riyaz and Gauss were on their way to Ajmer to record the third video linked to the assassination. Both intended for the third video to become viral after the murder in order to induce terror. The NIA is investigating where and with whom the two planned to stay in Ajmer.

Riyaz and Gauss had many WhatsApp connections with the youth. They hoped that if the police apprehended them after killing Kanhaiya Lal, other accomplices would continue to kill those who supported Nupur Sharma in the same way, which is why they recorded a video to urge their accomplices before killing Kanhaiya Lal. Riyaz stated in the video that he will be captured, but that the killings should continue.

Zee News CEO and editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary resigns to start his own venture

OpIndia Staff
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Zee News CEO and editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary resigns to start his own venture

Sudhir Chaudhary, the editor-in-chief and CEO of Zee News, has resigned from the company. Reportedly, Chaudhary has resigned form the post of CEO of Cluster 1 at Zee Media Corporation to start his own venture.

A veteran of Indian TV journalism, Sudhir Chaudhary is leaving after working for a decade at Zee. However, it was his second stint at the company. He had joined Zee News during its initial years, but had left in 2003 to join Sahara Samay. He had also joined India TV for some time. In 2012 he returned to Zee News, where he was hosting his show Daily News & Analysis (DNA), one of the highest rated show on Hindi news channels.

In a statement, Zee Media said, “This is to formally inform that Sudhir Chaudhury, CEO Cluster 1 has resigned from his services at Zee Media Corporation Limited with immediate effect. Since Sudhir has the inclination to start his own venture, it is with a heavy heart that Zee Media has accepted it.”

Subhash Chandra, Chairman of Essel Group and Zee Media Mentor, stated in an internal email that he met with Sudhir Chaudhary twice in the previous two days to attempt to persuade him to stay. Subhash Chandra said in the email, “Since he is planning to start his own venture by utilizing his fan following, I did not want to come in his way of progression.” Chandra also intends to hold a goodbye dinner for Sudhir Chaudhary on July 8th at the Constitution Club.

Sudhir Chaudhary said in his resignation letter to Chandra that he had been contemplating beginning his own business for quite some time. In his resignation email, Sudhir Chaudhary wrote, “To start my own enterprise. I assure you that my proposed new venture (If successful) will make you happy and proud of me. My success will be a testimony to my learning over more than 15 years Two stints) at Zee.” He wrote in the resignation letter, “With heavy heart I have to say that ‘Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.’ But, Sir at the same time I would like to add that, I am seeking your blessings for parting ways from ZMCL.”

The resignation was being speculated for last couple of days, as Chaudhary had not hosted his show DNA for the last three days. The show was being hosted by Zee Hindustan anchor Rohit Ranjan. According to reports, Zee News is building a pool of new anchors from its different clusters as part of its fresh newsroom strategy.

With Chaudhary leaving, WION Editor will report directly to the Publisher, while the editors of Zee News, Zee Business, and Zee 24 Taas will report to the President – Group Strategy & Innovation.

Update: An earlier version of this report said that Zee Media Chief Business Officer Abhay Ojha will replace Sudhir Chaudhary, based on business media reports. But actually, Ojha passed away on June 18 following a cardiac arrest.

Kerala: Bike-borne man caught on camera hurling bomb at CPI(M) headquarter, party blames Congress for the attack

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala: Bike-borne man caught on camera hurling bomb at CPI(M) headquarter, party blames Congress for the attack

On the night of June 30 (Thursday), a bike-borne unidentified person reportedly threw a crude bomb at the headquarters of the CPI(M) party in Kerala capital Thiruvananthapuram. The incident, which was captured on CCTV camera, sparked a war of words between the ruling party and the Congress, which is the main opposition party in the state.

In the footage shared by news agency ANI, a man on a scooter stop near the AK Gopalan Centre in Thiruvananthapuram and throws an explosive substance at the gate of the building before fleeing the spot. CCTV footage suggests that the person came from the Kunnukuzhy side of the road. But the police suspect the possibility of a team behind the attack.

Speaking about the incident, CPI(M) central committee member P K Sreemati said, “I was staying on the third floor of the AKG Centre and I heard a deafening sound around 11.30 and saw smoke billowing from the gate. I was really shocked. All democratic forces should condemn such a dastardly attack.”

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) alleged that the Opposition Congress is behind the attack. “The Assembly session is on…Congress and UDF don’t want democratic discussions, they want chaos…”, MA Baby, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member was quoted as saying by ANI.

The former speaker in the legislative assembly, M Vijayakumar, was quoted by The Week as saying, “You just have to watch the circumstances of this attack,” he says. “Just days before, an organised march, led by the senior leadership of Congress, was conducted to AKG Centre. If that march had reached the AKG Centre, what would have happened? Their goal was to destroy the centre. But the timely intervention of the police stopped the attack. What happened now is the continuation of that.”

Party secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan also said Congress was behind the attack. “It was a well-planned and executed attack,” he said.

Meanwhile, in what could be seen as a retaliatory move, irate CPI(M) workers took out protest rallies at many places and pelted stones at the DCC offices in Kottayam and Kozhikode in the early hours of Friday. Reacting to this, Congress MLA Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan alleged the attack took place before the eyes of the police. He alleged that the CPI(M) office attack was planned in advance to deflect attention from the gold smuggling case that Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan is involved in. He also said that it was a ploy to impede Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the state.

Notably, Rahul Gandhi arrived in Kerala Friday on a 3-day visit to his Lok Sabha constituency, Wayanad. 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s office vandalised in Wayanad, Kerala

The incident occurred precisely a week after SFI workers vandalised Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi’s office in Wayanad. The SFI workers marched to Rahul Gandhi’s office, and then entered the office and vandalised it.

Reportedly, the SFI workers are angry over Rahul Gandhi’s alleged silence of the recent Supreme Court order over maintaining eco-sensitive zone.

The Congress party has blamed the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) for the vandalism. SFI is the student wing of the radical left-wing group Popular Front of India (PFI).

Videos posted by Congress workers show that the miscreants entered the office of Rahul Gandhi and clashed with the Congress workers present in the office in Wayanad. In a video posted by Youth Congress on Twitter, the workers of SFI and Congress can be seen fighting with each other. Chairs in the office were broken and Congress workers were beaten.

“The extremism in the left-wing politics of Kerala is out in open. Why is Kerala Government promoting such hooliganism in Kerala? The goon should be identified and put behind the bars,” the youth Congress Twitter account posted along with the video.

PM Narendra Modi’s special bond with the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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PM Narendra Modi’s special bond with the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad: Read details

On 1st July 2022, the 145th world-famous Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad began from the hallowed Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabad. This Rath Yatra is being held on the day of Ashadh Shudh Dwitiya which is the second day of the Ashadh month in the Hindu calendar for the last 145 years. The Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad and Narendra Modi share a very special relationship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also cited his association with the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ program last Sunday.

PM Modi in his address said, “On Ashadh Shudh Dwitiya, the Jagannath Rath Yatra begins in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. When I was in Gujarat, I too was privileged to offer my services in this Yatra.”

The Jagannath Mandir Trust invites PM Modi; PM Modi sends the Prasad in return

Like every year, this year too the Jagannath Temple Trust invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Rath Yatra. Ever since Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he too, as a tradition, started sending Prasad to the temple on the eve of the Rath Yatra. He has maintained the tradition even after being elected to the Centre. As the 145th Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath begins on 1st July 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent the prasad to the Jamalpur Jagannath Temple on 30th June 2022. 

Like every year, the Prasad sent by Narendra Modi contained moong, cucumber, pomegranate, Jamun, mangoes and dry fruits. The Prasad was offered to the deity on 1st July 2022.

The Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad and Narendra Modi

Notably, the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad is flagged off traditionally by the Chief Minister of Gujarat himself by performing the pahind ceremony at the temple premises early in the morning on the day of Ashadh Shudh Dwitiya. In the ceremony, the chief minister cleans the path of the Rath Yatra, leaving the temple with a golden broom.

The record for performing the most number of pahind rituals as the Chief Minister of Gujarat is still held by Narendra Modi, who has performed the pahind rituals 12 times during the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad.

As we noted above, the history of Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad is very old. For the last two decades, the Rath Yatra has been going on in a very peaceful and grand manner. But that was not always the case. In Gujarat, when Congress was in power, the Rath Yatra witnessed bloodshed, and stones pelted at it, forcing the administration to impose curfews. Devotees had to attend the rath yatra under a perpetual threat of being attacked.

But this picture changed after Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001. From 2001 to date, not a single such incident took place during the Jagannath Rath Yatra of Ahmedabad. During his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi paid special attention to the safety of the Rath Yatra and also ensured that the Rath Yatra event is respected on the global stage.

On 1st July 2022, that is Ashadh Shudh Dwitiya, the rath yatra of Lord Jagannath has once again started in Ahmedabad for which tight security arrangements are placed in the city. At 7 a.m., the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupender Patel, came to the Jagannath Temple at Jamalpur in Ahmedabad and started the Rath Yatra by performing the pahind rituals.

Raj Thackeray congratulates Devendra Fadnavis, lauds him for putting the party first, and asks other politicians to emulate him

OpIndia Staff
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Raj Thackeray congratulates Devendra Fadnavis, lauds him for putting the party first, and asks other politicians to emulate him

On 1st July 2022, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray wrote a letter to BJP leader and Maharashtra’s new Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to congratulate him for forming a government with Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde. Raj Thackeray has also lauded Devendra Fadnavis for putting the party first before any personal aspirations.

Raj Thackeray shared this letter from his Twitter account. In this letter, Raj Thackeray wrote, “First of all, congratulations for accepting the responsibility as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. It was thought that you would return as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, but that could not be the case. Anyway…”

Raj Thackeray further wrote, “You have previously served as the Chief Minister of the state for five consecutive years. You have worked hard to bring in the present government and in spite of all this, you have put aside your interests and taken up the post of Deputy Chief Minister with the party in mind. You have shown through your actions that the party, the order of the party is greater than the aspirations of any person. Commitment to the party is the essence of your actions. This is something to be remembered forever by the office bearers and activists of all the political parties and organizations in the country and the state. Really congratulations to you!”

Raj Thackeray went on to admire Devendra Fadnavis on a personal level and further wrote in his letter to Devendra Fadnavis, “Now for you. I don’t go into whether this is a promotion or a demotion. In fact, nobody should think that way. But, I would like to tell you one thing. If one wishes to hit the target with a bow and arrow, the rope of the bow should be stretched backward. But, nobody calls it a retreat. A long political journey awaits you. One thing is for sure, you have proved your mettle before Maharashtra. I pray to Goddess Jagadamba that you get a chance to work harder for the betterment of the country. Congratulations once again!”

Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis formed a coalition government in Maharashtra in which the BJP and the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde have come together to form an alliance. Eknath Shinde took oath as the Chief Minister while Devendra Fadnavis became the Deputy Chief Minister. The government is yet to win a majority on the floor of the assembly house. The trust vote may take place after the speaker of the assembly is appointed.

Justice Surya Kant, who dismissed threats to Nupur Sharma, had pulled up agencies for not doing enough on threats to judges

OpIndia Staff
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Justice Surya Kant, who dismissed threats to Nupur Sharma, had pulled up agencies for not doing enough on threats to judges

Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant, who disregarded the life threats and subsequently blamed ex-BJP spokesman Nupur Sharma for the unrest in the country, had previously slammed security forces for failing to help the judiciary in providing protection to the justices.

According to reports, in 2021, a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justice Surya Kant had remarked that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are not supporting the judiciary at all.

The bench had lamented that judges are not prioritised by investigative authorities and that their concerns are not taken seriously, despite the involvement of specialised bodies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The bench including Justice Surya Kant had observed, “We have seen that in criminal cases involving high-profile people, there is a new trend of maligning judges. There is no freedom for judges to work. The CBI, the police, and the IB do not help the judiciary….. In several cases across the country involving gangsters and high-profile and powerful accused, they threaten judges, not just physically but also mentally through abusive messages, peeping into judges’ online accounts, etc. We are very sorry to say that the CBI did nothing about complaints made to it… There is still no change in the attitude of the CBI.”

It is worth noting that the Judge who chastised authorities for not taking action on threats to the lives of Judges, seriously overlooked blatant threats made against Nupur Sharma by Islamists worldwide, including terrorist organisations. Instead, he held her responsible for all the turmoil happening in the country, including he murder of Kanhaiya Lal.

The judges of the country’s supreme court have curiously overlooked the hatred and violence unleashed by Islamists and have instead blamed Nupur Sharma for the havoc released by Islamists and the backward views that ambiguously designate any criticism of the Islamic prophet as ‘blasphemy.’

The justices not only blamed one lady for the violence and death done by religious zealots in the name of Islam, but they also denied Sharma any remedy and denied her request to transfer all FIRs against her to Delhi.

Who is justice Surya Kant?

Justice Surya Kant was born in a farming family in the village of Petwar in Hisar, Haryana in 1962.  In 1985, he started his legal career in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where he also held the position of Advocate General of Haryana.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court appointed Surya Kant J as a judge in 2004. On October 3rd, 2018, he took the oath of office as the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s Chief Justice. His appointment caused quite a stir since Goel J, a consultee who had been promoted from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to the Supreme Court, disagreed with the Collegium. However, the Collegium still elevated Justice Surya Kant to the Himachal Pradesh High Court as Chief Justice.

Justice Surya Kant was appointed to the Supreme Court by the Collegium in 2019. In appointing him, the Collegium stressed the need of having enough representation from all High Courts in the SC.

14 people including 7 soldiers dead, several still trapped in the landslide in the Noney district of Manipur, rescue operations going on

OpIndia Staff
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14 people including 7 soldiers dead, several still trapped in the landslide in the Noney district of Manipur, rescue operations going on

In the Noney area of Manipur, a large landslide destroyed a railroad construction site, killing fourteen people, and it’s possible that many more are still buried in the debris. Fourteen people, including seven soldiers, are said to have been buried and died by a rain-induced landslide. The landslide took place late in Wednesday night. On Thursday in the late evening, five civilians and thirteen soldiers were rescued.

The disaster happened in the night between Wednesday and Thursday close to the company site of the 107 Territorial Army of the Indian Army stationed close to Tupul Railway Station in Noney district to guard the railway line from Jiribam to Imphal that is still under construction. The Noney Army Medical centre is providing healthcare for injured Territorial Army soldiers. 60 of them, nevertheless, are still feared to be trapped beneath the landslide rubble.

The rescue efforts are getting quite difficult because of bad weather and recent landslides. There are still at least 51 more persons missing, according to local media sources. DGP P Doungel said, “As many as 23 people were extracted from the debris of which 14 were dead. Searches are continuing for the others. Not confirmed how many are buried but as of now 60 people including villagers, army and railway personnel, laborers (buried).”

Despite the bad weather, Indian Army, Assam Rifles and Territorial Army troops kept up rescue efforts for those affected by the landslide in the nearby region of Tupul Railway Station, Noney district, Manipur. Teams from the Indian Railways, the civil service, the NDRF, the SDRF, and residents of Noney District are all actively helping with the search.

Noney Deputy Commissioner Haulianlal Guite told in an advisory, “The landslide occurred at the Tupul Yard Railway construction camp, which also obstructed the course of the Ijei river, flowing through the Tamenglong and Noney districts, creating a dam-like storage condition.” The Deputy Commissioner has advised residents to stay away from the river, especially kids. Due to the potential breach of the dam that the landslide generated on the Ijei river, those who reside in its downstream regions have been advised to leave. Due to several road closures brought on by landslides brought on by nonstop rain over the previous few days, people have also been cautioned against traveling along National Highway-37. In order to support the affected persons, a number of helplines have been established.

In order to personally examine the situation, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh visited the disaster area on Thursday. He then offered a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh for the deceased and Rs. 50,000 for the injured. He tweeted, “Visited Tupul to take stock of the unfortunate landslide situation. I’m thankful to Hon’ble HM Shri Amit Shah Ji for calling me to assess the situation and assured all possible assistance. A team of NDRF has already reached the site for rescue operation.”

Karnataka: Madarsa boy admits to lying after CCTV exposes his falsehoods; had claimed he was assaulted by members of other community

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Madarsa boy admits to lying after CCTV exposes his falsehoods; had claimed he was assaulted by members of other community

A 13-year-old madarsa student in Mangalore, Karnataka, claimed last Monday (27 June 2022) that he was beaten up by individuals of another community and that his kurta was ripped. The same child has now recanted his statement during the police interrogation. The madarsa student, who pretended to be a victim, told authorities on Thursday (June 30, 2022) that he made up a bogus narrative owing to a lack of sufficient attention at home and school.

According to a report, Mangalore Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar stated that the kid had ripped his shirt with a pen in order to give the impression that he had been beaten.

Following the reports of the boy’s attack, quick action was taken to avert any social unrest. When the police verified the boy’s statement, CCTV camera video, and other evidence throughout the probe, they were immediately shocked. The kid was then called for questioning again on Thursday. The boy explained that he comes from a poor household and struggles in school. As a result, he is not receiving the respect he desired.

After the truth was revealed, the police contacted his parents and community leaders to inform them of the issue. Police will now re-record his statement in front of the Child Welfare Committee and doctors. It is worth noting that tensions had increased in Suratkal and its adjacent districts following the incident as claimed by the boy.

What happened during the incident

A senior police official from Suratkal police station told the Hindustan Times that the child is a class 8 student. On the day of the incident, he was returning from Chakraborty Ground. He said that on his way back, two individuals approached him from behind and shoved him. They then fled the scene after ripping his clothes (charges have now been proven erroneous).

Pakistan: Islamists destroy billboards of Samsung Mobile in Karachi over allegedly blasphemous QR code

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Islamists destroy billboards of Samsung Mobile in Karachi over allegedly blasphemous QR code

Dozens of Islamists belonging to extremist Barelvi organisation Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) unleashed mayhem in the mobile market of Karachi, Pakistan, after rumours of an alleged blasphemy against the company. The protestors tore down the billboards of Samsung in the mobile market in the city and indulged in vandalism after they heard that the company has committed ‘blasphemy’ against Islam.

The protests were not limited to the mobile market as billboards in several locations across the city faced the ire of the angry TLP members.

Initial rumours circulating about the incident said that Samsung had introduced a QR code on its devices which is blasphemous. Following this, the Islamists took to the streets of Karachi and started attacking the company’s billboards.

However, later on, a new rumour started circulating that the ‘blasphemy’ was committed by an employee of Samsung Mobile who had given a ‘blasphemous’ name to his WiFi network.

While nobody is sure what was the exact ‘blasphemy’ that was committed, it hasn’t stopped TLP extremists from creating mayhem on the streets of Karachi venting their anger against Samsung Mobile.

Blasphemy by QR codes is not something new in Pakistan

Last year on December 31, a Pakistani man threatened American behemoth Pepsi for printing a QR code with the name of Prophet Muhammad on its 7UP bottles.

The man threatened a Pepsi company’s truck driver with dire consequences if the QR Code on a 7 UP soft drink bottle is not removed by the company. On enquiring, the man, who identified himself as Mulla, insisted that the QR code is actually the name of Prophet Muhammad and if the company does not remove the logo he will burn the truck.

Blasphemy in Pakistan

Pakistan has suffered widespread communal violence and riots over perceived blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad. An unfavourable reference to Prophet Muhammad, or what is referred to as ‘Blasphemy,’ is frequently used by Islamists as a rallying cry to commit violence and communal rioting against ‘non-believers.’ There have been myriad reports of violence and barbarity committed against non-Muslims in the name of blasphemy and desecration of Prophet Muhammad.

Advocate of Mohammed Zubair, who is arrested over a Hinduphobic post, argues against the examination of his laptop in Delhi HC

OpIndia Staff
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Advocate of Mohammed Zubair, who is arrested over a Hinduphobic post, argues against the examination of his laptop in Delhi HC

In the Delhi High Court today, senior advocate Vrinda Grover, representing Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of leftist propaganda portal Alt News, desperately tried to ensure that the Delhi police do not examine Zubair’s laptop, which he reportedly used for uploading objectionable posts on social media platforms. 

The Delhi High Court bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula had Friday, continued to hear the plea filed by Mohammed Zubair challenging a Patiala House Court order remanding him to police custody. The Patiala Court had on June 28, sent Zubair to four days of police custody in the case against him for hurting religious sentiments.

Grover, while arguing before the Delhi HC today, urged the court to order the Delhi police not to check Zubair’s laptop till the pendency of this case. “I am only saying that the laptop is in their custody and they don’t check the laptop till the pendency of this case,” urged Grover.

Advocate Vrinda Grover further told the court that checking Zubair’s laptop and phone was an infringement of his right to privacy since he is a journalist.

“My client is being targeted for his work. He may be challenging the people who are powerful but that can’t be reason why he is targeted,” said Grover to the court, as she tried her level best to get the Delhi police from not investigating his laptop and other electronic devices.

“It is planting a dagger in my privacy. My mobile phone and laptop have been asked for. But the tweet could not have gone from my laptop. Why are they asking for my laptop? What this is doing is changing the structure of this investigation”, Grover contended in court, while adding, “I am a journalist. My laptop is in their custody and all the tweets that are there are also tweeted by others. Those are still there. This is the genesis. The genesis is they want their hands on my devices.”

Interestingly, yesterday also, Zubair, through his counsel Vrinda Grover refused to hand over his laptop and other electronic items to the Police saying that his laptop and his phone storage were his personal things. “They want my laptop only to harass me, only because I have been challenging what certain people have been saying, and some of those people are in power,” he had argued.

Alt News co-founder flown to Bengaluru to recover his laptop, hard disk

The honourable Court had, however, allowed police to recover his laptop and phone from Bangalore, which was purportedly used to post the Tweet in question. On June 30, the Delhi Police Special Cell flew Zubair to Bengaluru to recover his laptop and other electronic devices which he used for uploading objectionable posts on social media platforms. 

According to the reports, Zubair earlier had refused to hand over his electronic devices and had formatted them. The Police said that despite repeatedly asking for the devices, Zubair had refused to hand his devices over to the Police.

In fact, Zubair was arrested on June 27 as a result of his refusal to hand over the electronic devices he used to post the inflammatory tweet in 2018. Zubair claimed that he misplaced the phone he used in 2018, and he had formatted his phone as per Delhi Police.

Meanwhile, after hearing to arguments presented by Zubair’s counsel Vrinda Grover and Advocate Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi Police Justice Sanjeev Narula asked the Delhi Police to file a counter-affidavit within two weeks to the plea which also took objection to the Patiala House court order permitting examination and seizure of laptop of Zubair.

“Considering the submissions, a response is called for. Let the counter-affidavit be filed in two weeks. Rejoinder to be filed one week thereafter,” the Court directed.

The Delhi Police was also told by the court to give copies of the remand application to Zubair’s counsel. Justice Sanjeev Narula also clarified that the magistrate will decide the issue without being prejudiced by the High Court order.

The matter was listed for further hearing on July 27.

Tweets by Mohammed Zubair go missing from his Twitter account after his arrest

Notably, from June 27 to June 29, 100 tweets went missing from the Twitter account (@zoo_bear) of the co-founder of the propaganda website AltNews, Mohammed Zubair. 88 of the 100 tweets went missing on June 28 when Zubair was in Police custody. Earlier on June 20, he had deleted 28 tweets.

While seeking remand, Delhi Police categorically said that Zubair had deleted electronic evidence and presented a blank phone when asked to produce the electronic devices. It is virtually not possible for Zubair to access any electronic device while in Police custody, and it is unclear how the tweets were deleted from his account and by whom.

Zubair arrested for hurting religious sentiments

Mohammed Zubair was arrested on June 28 by the Delhi Police for hurting religious sentiments via derogatory social media posts targeting Hinduism. He was booked under Sections 153A and 295 of the Indian Penal Code. The FIR was based on a tweet by Twitter user @balajikijaiin where the user had shared a screenshot of an old tweet by Zubair in which he had mocked Lord Hanuman. In the tweet, @balajikijaiin had tagged the Delhi Police and asked them to take action against Zubair for hurting the sentiments of Hindus with his derogatory post against Lord Hanuman.

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