SC grants interim bail to Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan; not allowed media interaction

The Supreme Court on Monday granted 5-day interim bail to Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan to visit his ailing mother. He was arrested on his way to Hathras where a young Dalit woman had died after being allegedly gang-raped. A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde, however, said that during his visit he shall not give any interview to the media, including social media.

SC grants interim bail to Siddique Kappan

The bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, said that Kappan will not meet members of the public except his relatives and doctors concerned. It said he will be escorted by a team of Uttar Pradesh police officers and police in Kerala will cooperate with them.

According to PTI, Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), stated that Kappan's mother could not talk on video conference and the doctors have said she might live only for two or three more days.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, said however that the condition of Kappan's mother was not as serious as was being projected and no medical certificates are provided. "There are posters in Kerala and the wife of Kappan is collecting money in his name as if he is a martyr... When he goes to Kerala to visit his mother political opinions would be formed," Mehta said.

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The bench said it was taking Sibal's statements on face value and "we will not allow him (Kappan) to be paraded and he will go to his house under the protection of armed guards". Siddique Kappan was arrested on October 5 last year at atoll plaza in Uttar Pradesh on his way to Hathras.

On November 16 last year, the top court had sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government on the plea challenging the arrest of the journalist on his way to Hathras. Sibal had sought bail for the journalist saying that there was nothing against him in the FIR lodged at Mathura by UP Police.

The FIR has been filed under various provisions of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against four people having alleged links with the Popular Front of India, or PFI. PFI had been accused in the past of funding protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) across the country earlier this year.

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