A judicial magistrate on Wednesday granted the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) a six-day physical remand of podcast host Rehan Tariq in a case registered under cybercrime and blasphemy-related laws.
According to the prosecution, the NCCIA had registered a first information report (FIR) against Tariq on June 25 after he hosted a podcast featuring a religious scholar in which sensitive and controversial sectarian issues were discussed, allegedly triggering controversy among followers of different sects.
The FIR includes charges under Section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, relating to hate speech, along with Sections 153-A, 295-A and 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code for allegedly promoting sectarian hatred and hurting religious sentiments.
During the hearing at the district courts, the NCCIA produced the suspect before Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo. The investigating officer informed the court that Tariq had been arrested at Lahore Airport upon his arrival from abroad and sought his physical remand for further investigation.
Accepting the request, the magistrate granted the agency six days’ physical remand and directed investigators to produce the suspect before the court again after completion of the remand period.
Earlier, in May, the NCCIA arrested 11 social media activists from different cities of Punjab on allegations of spreading anti-state propaganda and inciting public unrest through online platforms.
