Delhi Police examining transactions, devices of arrested Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair
text_fields
New Delhi: The Delhi Police is reportedly looking into the financial transactions and electronic devices of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair who is under police custody over an "objectionable" tweet.
As per a PTI report, the Delhi Police on Wednesday wrote to multiple banks seeking information about his bank account details and other financial transactions.
The move comes as the officials found financial transactions to the tune of Rs 50 lakh in an account linked to the AltNews website within three months.
"We are currently focusing on the source of donation and other financial transactions made into the bank accounts associated with Alt News. We have evidence that in the last three months, a transaction amounting to ₹ 50 lakh was made into one of the accounts. We are further analyzing the transactions made from multiple bank accounts," a senior police officer said.
The police want to know about the source of 'unaccounted' wealth and they may soon write to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax Department.
A leading portal citing sources claims that those who transferred funds to the account of AltNews are under the scanner of agencies and soon the ED sleuths may launch a probe into money laundering charges. The cops are currently looking for those behind mammoth contributions to the fact-checkers' portal and also if it was 'motivated' or voluntary.
The official also added that Zubair will be taken to Bengaluru on Thursday in connection with the probe.
"Our team will take Zubair to Bengaluru tomorrow to seize the devices, including the mobile phone and laptop, that might have been used to post the tweet in question, and also to collect other evidence linked to the case," the officer said.
The officer also said that the mobile phone used by the journalist at present has been formatted and does not have information related to the case.
According to police, Zubair, when asked about the phone he used when he allegedly posted the tweet in question, said he had lost it.
Police had said that the objectionable tweet "led to a Twitter storm with hate speeches which were detrimental to communal harmony".
Zubair was arrested on Monday for allegedly hurting religious sentiments after posting the tweet against a Hindu deity in 2018.
