SC extends Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair's interim bail in Sitapur case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended the interim bail granted to Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair till further orders. The apex court listed Zubair's plea for a hearing on September 7. The top court was hearing the plea filed by Zubair challenging the Allahabad High Court order refusing to quash the FIR registered against him by Uttar Pradesh Police for a tweet in which he allegedly called three Hindu seers 'hate mongers'.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna was told by Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the State government, that they want to file a counter affidavit to Zubair's plea seeking quashing of the FIR lodged in the case. The bench then listed the plea for a final hearing on September 7 and asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file its response in four weeks.

On July 8, a vacation bench of the top court had granted five-day interim bail to Zubair in the case.