Siddique Kappan Used Journalist Cover, Was Going Hathras 'To Create Divide': UP Govt To Supreme Court

Hathras Rape Case: The state government in an affidavit filed in the top court alleged that Kappan is the office secretary of Popular Front of India (PFI)

(Imgage: PTI)

Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan, arrested on his way to Hathras, was going there under the cover of Journalism to create caste divide and disturb law and order situation, the Uttar Pradesh government told the Supreme Court on Friday. The state government in an affidavit filed in the top court alleged that Kappan is the office secretary of Popular Front of India (PFI) and showed an identity card of a Kerala-based newspaper Tejas, which was closed in 2018 The matter came up for hearing before a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, comprising Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, for hearing the habeas corpus petition filed by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), challenging the arrest of journalist Siddique Kappan, who was arrested on his way to Hathras to meet the family of the rape victim, whose death triggered nationwide protest in October. Hearing the arguments, the CJI said "last time there was misreporting. I am worried about the inaccurate reporting." "The reports said that the journalist was refused relief," CJI mentioned, adding that the journalist has the right to file the bail. You have the right to file bail and you read the reply and then we will hear you completely, the bench said. On October 7, four men identified as Atiq-ur-Rehman, Siddique, Masood Ahmed and Alam men were detained by the Uttar Pradesh Police from a toll plaza in Mathura while they were on their way to Hathras to meet the family of 19-year-old Dalit girl, who was brutally gangraped and murdered. The four journalists were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and charged with sedition for their alleged link with the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its students’ organisation Campus Front of India (CFI).