Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Friday, who cited Right to Freedom of Speech as the reason for his release.
Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, who had been booked by the Uttar Pradesh government years ago, was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Friday. The journalist remained in jail for two years after being booked under the UAPA act.
A bench of Chief Justice UU Lalit and Justices S Ravindra Bhat and P Narasimha directed that Kappan shall be produced before the trial court within three days and he shall be released on bail. It directed that upon release Kappan shall stay in Delhi and mark his presence in a local police station every Monday.
After six weeks he can relocate to his native place in Kerala and report to the local police station, it said. He was directed not to leave Delhi without permission of the trial court.
Siddique Kappan, who is a journalist from Kerala, was booked by the Uttar Pradesh police under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). He was booked while he was on his way to Hathras, where he said he was going to cover the rape and murder of a 19-year-old girl.
Why was Siddique Kappan booked under UAPA Act?
Siddique Kappan, who is a journalist, had many allegations leveled against him by the Uttar Pradesh authorities in relation to the Hathras rape case. The UP police had alleged that the journalist was involved in the “conspiracy” in relation to the case.
As per the allegations lodged against him, he was visiting the Hathras area to “incite riots” during the disturbances caused by the horrific rape and murder of a 19-year-old woman. The allegations state that he had been given Rs 45,000 to fund the riots.
Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, who was appearing for the State of Uttar Pradesh, said in the court, “Kappan was in the meeting of PFI in Sep 2020. It was said in the meeting that funding had stopped. It was decided in the meeting that they will go to sensitive areas and incite riots. On October 5, they had decided to go to Hathras to incite riots.”
(With ANI inputs)
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 "Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan granted bail by SC: Know why he was booked under UAPA Act")
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