Kappan’s appeal against a Mathura court judgement refusing him bail was denied by single-judge Justice Krishan Pahal. [Sidhique Kappan v State Of UP]
The Allahabad High Court denied the bail application of journalist Siddique Kappan, who was charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)
Kappan’s appeal against a Sessions Court judgement refusing him bail was denied by a single judge, Justice Krishan Pahal.
Kappan, a reporter for the Malayalam news portal Azhimukham and the secretary of the Delhi unit of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), was arrested in Uttar Pradesh with three others in October 2020 while on his way to Hathras to report on the gang-rape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit girl.
They were all charged under Sections 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion), and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code, as well as Sections 65, 72, and 75 of the Information Technology Act.
In July 2021, a Mathura court denied Kappan’s bail application on the grounds that there was a prima facie evidence that Kappan and his co-accused were attempting to disrupt the law and other situations while on their way to report the Hathras gang rape event in Uttar Pradesh.
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