FIR filed against Alt-News co-founder Mohd Zubair in Ghaziabad over post on Narsinghanand

An FIR was filed here on Monday against Alt-News co-founder Mohammad Zubair for allegedly promoting enmity among religious groups and other offences following a complaint by an aide of controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand over his social media posts, according to police.

Narsinghanand is facing multiple FIRs and protests from Muslim groups against his alleged remarks against Prophet Muhammad.

In her complaint to Kavinagar police, Udita Tyagi, General Secretary of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati Foundation, has alleged that Zubair posted a video clip of an old programme of Narsinghanand on October 3 to provoke violence by Muslims against him.

The FIR against Zubair was lodged around 2 pm under sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion..), 228 (giving or fabricating false evidence), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 356(3) (related to defamation) and 351 (2) (punishment for criminal intimidation) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the police said.

A large crowd had gathered outside the Dasna Devi temple in Ghaziabad, which Narsinghanand heads, to protest against him on Friday night after videos of his inflammatory remarks appeared online, following which security was stepped up around the premises.

Ten people have been arrested so far for allegedly pelting stones during the protest, according to police.

Earlier in the day, members of Hindu outfits submitted a memorandum to Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra demanding action against the people who "attacked" the temple on Friday.

The protesters also demanded the release of the priest, alleging that he had been illegally detained by the police, but Mishra maintained that the police were not aware of his whereabouts.

They held a demonstration outside the office of the police commissioner at police lines in Harsaon and demanded action against Zubair, AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi, Islamic scholar Arshad Madani and others, alleging that they were instigating Muslims to target the Dasna temple.

Udita Tyagi said she filed a police complaint against Zubair for posting inflammatory content.

Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra said that an FIR was registered on the complaint.

He said that an FIR has also been lodged against the around 150 people who entered the police premises on Monday and shouted slogans before handing over the memorandum.

They have been booked under Section 223 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

On October 3, an FIR was lodged by Sub-inspector Trivendra Singh against Narsinghanand stating that on September 19 he had made derogatory remarks against a community during an event at Hindi Bhavan in Lohiya Naga in a violation of Section 302 of BNS (deals with the offence of uttering words or making sounds to intentionally hurt someone’s religious feelings.)

Another FIR was lodged by Bhanu Prakash Singh, sub-inspector and area beat in-charge Dasna area of Wave City police station. In this complaint, the priest's disciples-- Anil Yadav Chota Narsimahanand, Yati Ran Singhanand, Yati Ram Swaroopanand and Yati Nirbhayanand of Dasna temple -- have been accused of making objectionable remarks, a video of which had appeared on social media.

They have been booked at Wave City Police Station under sections 302 and 351 of BNS.