SC relaxes bail condition of journalist Siddique Kappan in UAPA case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday allowed an application filed by Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan seeking relaxation of the bail condition requiring him to record his presence at the local police station every week in a UAPA case.

A bench headed by Justice PS Narasimha modified its earlier order granting bail to Kappan and directed that it will not be necessary for the accused to report at the local police station every Monday.

In September 2022, a bench headed by then Chief Justice of India (CJI) U.U. Lalit granted bail to Kappan, saying “every person has freedom of expression”.

Kappan along with others was arrested on October 5, 2020, by the Uttar Pradesh Police under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), while on their way to Hathras, to report on a 19-year-old’s gang rape and murder.

In its bail order, the Supreme Court had asked Kappan to record his presence in the police station every Monday in a register maintained for that purpose.

“The appellant shall deposit his passport if not already deposited with the investigating machinery before his actual release. The appellant shall not misuse his liberty in any manner and he shall not be in contact with any person(s) connected with the present controversy in question,” it further ordered.

Before the top court, the Uttar Pradesh government, in a written response, had said: “The investigation has revealed that the petitioner (Kappan) is part of the larger conspiracy with the co-accused (including the financial launderer of CFI, Rauf Sharif) to foment religious discord and spread terror in the country, especially in the wake of anti-CAA protests and violence, the Babri Masjid decision of this Hon’ble Court and the Hathras incident.”

The state government further claimed that the documents recovered from Kappan’s laptop and from his rented house in Delhi, established how the current PFI leadership basically comprised ex-SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India — banned as a terrorist organisation) members.

IANS