Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson and YouTuber Huda Zariwala has been arrested by police for her objectionable comments over the demolition of an illegal mosque on collectorate premises in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
On 7th September (Monday) evening, Zariwala tried to protest against the government action by arriving at the Circuit House in Saharanpur. Police also reached the location after learning of her presence. She insisted on entering the Circuit House; however, she was stopped and taken into custody by the authorities.
“Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Saharanpur’s District Magistrate are responsible for martyring the mosque belonging to the Muslims. Who is this so-called wretched and lawless baba (CM Yogi) to demolish the structure? Who is Adityanath? What is his position or status? Who the hell is he to take such an action? He has committed a criminal act, and the entire Muslim community stands against him. Strict action must be taken,” Zariwala lashed out while attacking the chief minister and the administration in front of the media earlier.
She is Huda Zariwala
— Comman Man (@CommanMan777589) September 6, 2026
Born in Saudi Arabia
Bachelor’s in Hotel Management from Uttarakhand University/Open University and postgraduate studies in Mass Communication/Media Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia.
She appears as panelist on NDTV
I think both @DelhiPolice and @Uppolice… https://t.co/nBYl6igiKH pic.twitter.com/K3bS4YvaHe
She reiterated, “Do not call him Yogi Adityanath. His name is Ajay Bisht. He is not a yogi but a criminal who has demolished a mosque. We will not remain silent.”
Saharanpur Police have arrested former BBC reporter and former AAP spox Huda Jariwala.
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) September 8, 2026
She called CM Adityanath and the SDM “criminals” following the demolition of the Collectorate Mosque and is also accused of making provocative statements that could incite riots.
Huda… pic.twitter.com/vAVFTUqgzc
Advocate Dushyant Singh lodged a complaint against Zariwala at the Sadar Bazar police station following the release of the video containing her comments. He asserted that she had made objectionable, indecent and inflammatory statements against CM Yogi and the administrative procedure in relation to the dismantling of the unauthorised mosque.
Singh argued that Zariwala’s offensive utterances had infuriated people and could have a detrimental effect on peace and communal harmony in the area. Hence, he demanded action against her. Afterwards, police apprehended her in response to the complaint. Notably, Zariwala campaigned throughout Delhi, Punjab and Haryana while serving as an AAP leader during the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
On 5th September, a portion of a mosque located inside the Saharanpur Collectorate premises in Uttar Pradesh was demolished by the administration. The action came after a court upheld an earlier City Magistrate order regarding the disputed site. The dispute is centred on its presence within the collectorate grounds and the ownership status of the land on which it stands.
In July, the City Magistrate had ordered the eviction of the mosque within 30 days. The court also imposed a penalty of Rs 6.41 crore on the “illegal occupants” for occupying 315 square metres of government land without authorisation. The order was passed under the Uttar Pradesh Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1972.
After the district court refused to stop the action, the administration moved ahead with sealing the structure and removing the portion that it said stood on government land. An Additional District Magistrate and a team from the Municipal Corporation were present during the operation. Police forces from more than 10 police stations, along with the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), were deployed in the area as a precaution.
Six bulldozers were in operation for a duration of six hours. The debris was removed, and a well was found beneath. The well is around 20 feet deep and 1.5 metres wide. It was covered with a stone slab and was discovered when workers were removing the debris from the site. The administration covered the well to prevent debris from falling into it. Police teams were deployed at the spot, while barricades had been installed to stop outsiders from entering the area.
Vikas Tyagi, the regional convener of the Bajrang Dal, had petitioned the city magistrate’s court in 2025, charging that the mosque on the collectorate’s property was unlawful.
Huda Zariwala previously served as a news anchor with Saudi TV Channel 2 and later worked with the BBC in London. Between 2015 and 2021, she worked with a Noida-based channel.
