Delhi Police examining financial transactions of arrested Alt News co-founder Zubair

Delhi Police on Wednesday wrote to multiple banks seeking information about bank account details and or financial transactions of fact-checking website Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair who is under police custody over an "objectionable" tweet, officials said. Zubair was arrested on Monday for allegedly hurting religious sentiments after posting tweet against a Hindu deity in 2018.

"We are currently focusing on source of donation and or financial transactions me into bank accounts associated with Alt News. We have evidence that in last three months, transaction amounting to Rs 50 lakh was me into one of accounts. We are furr analysing transactions me from multiple bank accounts," a senior police officer said.

He said Zubair will be taken to Bengaluru on Thursday in connection with probe.

"Our team will take Zubair to Bengaluru tomorrow to seize devices, including mobile phone and laptop, that might have been used to post tweet in question, and also to collect or evidence linked to case," officer said.

Police h said that objectionable tweet "led to a Twitter storm with hate speeches which was detrimental to communal harmony".

officer also said that mobile phone used by journalist at present has been formatted and does not have information related to case.

According to police, Zubair, when asked about phone he used when he allegedly posted tweet in question, said he h lost it.

Meanwhile, anonymous Twitter handle, a complaint from which led to Zubair's arrest, does not exist on microblogging website anymore, sources in Delhi Police said. A Delhi court h on Tuesday extended by four days custodial interrogation of Zubair. During hearing, Zubair's counsel said that photo which he h used in tweet was from a 1983 film by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, “Kissi Se Na Kehna”, and that film was not banned.

court, however, rejected submission, saying it was of no assistance to accused at this stage. Delhi Police h also told court that Zubair allegedly “used controversial tweets to hurt religious feelings in an effort to get fame".

On June 20, a case against Zubair was registered under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, language etc.) and 295A (deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings) of Indian Penal Code (IPC), DCP said.

However, he was arrested in connection with one of his tweets posted in year 2018 that h a questionable image with a purpose to deliberately insult god of a particular religion, he said.