Mohammed Zubair was arrested by the Delhi Police on June 27 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

New Delhi:

The Delhi Police has added fresh charges against Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of fact-checking site Alt News who was arrested in a case related to an alleged objectionable tweet in 2018. The fresh charges of criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence were mentioned by the Delhi Police as it produced the fact-checker at the Patiala House court.

The news charges have been added along with Section 35 of the FCRA or Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.

“Criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence charges added to the FIR along with Section 35 of the FCRA,” the Delhi Police told the Patiala House court.

With criminal conspiracy added to the FIR, the Enforcement Directorate can step in for money laundering probe.

Delhi Police has also sought 14 days of judicial custody for Mr Zubair. Alt News journalist’s lawyer, meanwhile, has moved bail application before the court.

Mohammed Zubair was arrested by the Delhi Police on June 27 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through one of his tweets and was sent to one-day police custody by the trial court on the same day.

Mr Zubair’s was arrested just days after he flagged a video of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma’s remarks against Prophet Mohammed on a TV show.

Police said the case was registered on the complaint of a Twitter user who accused him of hurting religious sentiments.