A case was filed against Mohammed Zubair for allegedly threatening a girl on Twitter
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights today told the Delhi High Court that the Delhi Police's claim of "no cognizable offence" against fact-checker Mohammed Zubair in a case of allegedly threatening a girl on Twitter was "incorrect".
The NCPCR, short for the child rights body, said the Delhi Police's stand indicates the "casual attitude" of the authorities and asked the high court to order the police for a thorough investigation in the case and complete it soon.
The case will be heard next on December 7.
The Delhi Police in August last year filed a first information report, or FIR, against Mr Zubair for allegedly threatening a girl on Twitter. The NCPCR had flagged the matter to the cops.
The NCPCR's complaint referred to a photo of the girl and her father, which was tweeted by Mr Zubair during an online spat with the minor's father.
The child rights body said the information provided by the police in their May status report clearly showed that Mr Zubair had been trying to evade investigation and not been cooperating with the police.
"The malafide intention of the petitioner to conceal the facts is evident which is seen to be causing a serious delay in the investigation of this case. The submission made by the Delhi Police as to no cognisable offence being made out against the petitioner is also incorrect and indicates the casual attitude of the police in this case," the NCPCR said in its affidavit to the Delhi High Court.
The NCPCR said retweeting the girl's picture contributed to disclosure of her identity through her father, compromised her safety and exposed her to harassment on social media.
"The comments made on the picture of the minor girl also included comments which were in the nature of sexual harassment and was seen to be in violation of the provisions of the POCSO Act, IPC and IT Act," the NCPCR said.
It said Mr Zubair neither deleted the tweet nor informed the authorities about Twitter users who made abusive comments.
"In view of the violations committed against the minor girl in the said case and the information provided by the Delhi Police in its status report dated May 14, 2022, the NCPCR requests this court to direct the Delhi Police to conduct a thorough investigation in this case and complete the same on priority," the affidavit said.
The high court in September last year told the police not to take any coercive steps against Mr Zubair in the case. It also directed Twitter India to cooperate with the police in the investigation.
Mr Zubair called the FIR "an absolutely frivolous complaint". His lawyer had said he had been trolled for his posts on Twitter by a man who abused, demeaned and even left communally charged comments on Mr Zubair's Twitter page.
Later, the fact-checker posted the display picture of the man standing with his minor daughter, whose face was blurred by Mr Zubair.