On Thursday, August 4, 2022, in the case of Siddique Kappan v State Of UP,
The Allahabad High Court has rejected the bail plea moved by journalist Siddique Kappan who has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Single Judge Krishan Pahal dismissed Kappan’s challenge to a Court of Sessions order denying him bail.
Kappan, a reporter for Malayalam news portal Azhimukham and secretary of the Delhi branch of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), was arrested along with three others in Uttar Pradesh in October 2020 while on his way to Hathras to visit and report on the gang – rape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit girl.
They were all prosecuted under Sections 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Section 124A (Incitement), Section 153A (Promoting Hostility Between Different Groups Based on Religion), and Section 295A (Deliberate and Malicious Actions ) charged with intent to offend religious sentiment) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 65, 72 and 75 of the Information Technology Act.
A court in Mathura dismissed Kappan’s request for bail in July 2021, arguing that there was an allegation that Kappan and other co-defendants attempted to disrupt the law and other situations as they set out to investigate the case to report Pradesh.
ALL INDIA LEGAL FORUM 