The Chief Justice of India UU Lalit on Friday said the Supreme Court will grant bail to journalist Siddique Kappan. The journalist from Kerala was detained under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in October 2020 while on his way to Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, where a Dalit woman had died after allegedly being gang-raped.
The Uttar Pradesh government previously told the Supreme Court that Kappan has deep ties to the PFI and is part of a larger conspiracy to “incite religious discord and spread terror.”
After having his bail request denied by a local court in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, in July of last year, Kappan appealed to the Allahabad High Court. Kappan had “no employment” at Hathras, according to the Allahabad High Court, which denied him bail.
Mohammad Alam, the taxi driver who was also charged with Kappan, had his bail increased by the High Court on August 23. The bail order noted that while “incriminating evidence” was seized from Kappan’s custody, none was seized from Alam.
Kappan stated in the Special Leave Petition that the purpose of his visit was to fulfil his professional obligation of reporting on the infamous Hathras rape/murder case. The Special Leave Petition was filed through Advocate Pallavi Pratap. He was detained, nonetheless, on the basis of “false” accusations.— IANS