UAPA case: Supreme Court relaxes bail condition on Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan

A bench of two Justices relaxed bail condition of reporting to the local police station on every Monday, acting on an application filed by him.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday modified a bail condition for journalist Sidhique Kappan, to report to local police station every week in Malappuram in Kerala in a case filed by the Uttar Pradesh police under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

Kappan, along with others, was arrested on October 5, 2020, while they were on way to Hathras after gang rape and death of a 19-year-old Dalit girl.

A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Sandeep Mehta relaxed the bail condition of reporting to the local police station on every Monday in Malappuram, acting on an application filed by him.

The apex court had on September 9, 2022 granted him bail in the case.

It had then rejected Uttar Pradesh government's contention that Kappan was found with provocative materials, saying everyone has a freedom of expression and had a choice to propagate his idea of justice. The court had also said sometimes, protests are needed to bring about change.

The court also noted Kappan has been in jail for about two years and framing of charges would take time.

In its written order, the bench said, "We have been taken through some of the documents placed on record. At this stage, we refrain from dealing with and commenting upon the progress and investigation and material gathered by the prosecution in support of its case as the matter is still to be taken up at the stage of framing of charges."

Kappan challenged the Allahabad High Court's order of August 2, 2022 which rejected his bail.

The UP government had opposed his plea, saying he 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 court and and the Hathras incident.