New Delhi: Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur have arrested a former journalist and political activist, Huda Zariwala, for making alleged objectionable comments about Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the demolition of a pre-independence mosque in the district collectorate premises.Zariwala arrived at Saharanpur’s circuit house to protest against the demolition on September 7 but was arrested and sent to jail based on a criminal complaint.Vyom Bindal, Superintendent of Police (City) said that a “formal complaint was received at the Sadar Bazar police station regarding an objectionable post made by a woman” on social media.A case has been registered against her under relevant sections of the law, and she has been sent to jail, said Bindal in a video statement.The officer urged the public to exercise caution and thoughtfulness when posting on social media. “Please refrain from posting or sharing any misleading or inflammatory content on your social media accounts; otherwise, legal action will be taken against the concerned individuals,” he said.While the officer did not name the complainant – and a copy of the FIR was also not publicly available – reports circulated by the social media handle of the Saharanpur police suggested it was an advocate named Dushyant Singh.The exact offence under which Zariwala was officially booked could not be formally ascertained. However, video clips circulating on social media and shared by Zariwala’s Instagram page as well, showed her talking to the media and commenting on the demolition of the mosque.Zariwala referred to Adityanath as a “criminal” who had “martyred” a mosque, adding that the district magistrate of Saharanpur was also a “criminal.”She said: “Who is this ‘Baba’ – this despicable, unconstitutional ‘Baba’? Who is Adityanath, the man who demolished the mosque? What is his standing? What is his caste? Who does he think he is? He is a criminal,” said Zariwala.Formerly associated with the Aam Aadmi Party, Zariwala’s Instagram profile describes her as a political analyst, media panelist and former news anchor at Saudi TV Channel-2. She also claims to have worked at the BBC.The Wire spoke twice to the Station House Officer of Sadar Bazar police station and specifically asked the officer under what sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was Zariwala booked. However, he directed us to the Mahila Thana, saying that the challan was issued there. The Wire called the SHO Mahila Thana, Saharanpur, but was informed that they had no information about the matter as the case was registered at the Sadar Bazar police station.Also read: How a 150-Year-Old Mosque Was Demolished in Saharanpur Just Three Days After a Local Court Called it ‘Illegal’SHO Sadar Bazar hinted at the offences under which Zariwala may have been charged. “She acted to disrupt communal harmony in the city,” said the officer, whose name could not be confirmed.Authorities in Saharanpur in the early hours of Saturday demolished a pre-independence era mosque situated within the Collectorate office campus after a local court ruled the Islamic religious structure was an illegal encroachment on government land.Officials carried out the demolition on September 5 following a verdict of the district court, which had on September 2 dismissed an appeal filed by the mosque’s management committee against a city magistrate court that had in July ordered for its eviction.The magistrate court had also imposed a heavy penalty of Rs 6.41 crore on the “illegal occupants” of the 315 square-metre plot of official land for their “unauthorized occupation.” The mosque was issued a notice of 30 days to evict the site.In a 26-page judgment – a copy of which was reviewed by The Wire – district judge Satendra Kumar affirmed the eviction order issued by the city magistrate’s court under the Uttar Pradesh Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1972, on July 16. The court said that the mosque failed to produce evidence regarding ownership and lawful possession of the property.“After a due examination of the evidence available on record and the legal principles discussed above, this court concludes that the appellant has failed to substantiate – through cogent evidence – the grounds raised in the appeal and the facts regarding his ownership and lawful possession of the property in question,” the judgment concluded.Omar Rashid is an independent journalist.