Guwahati: The Supreme Court of India on Friday granted bail to Keralan journalist Siddiqui Kappan. When he went to report the gang rape of a 19-year-old in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, he was detained and had been since 2020.
The Supreme Court stated after hearing the case that “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression.”
Kappan was detained under the harsh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act while travelling to Hathras.
Chief Justice U U Lalit stated that the journalist would report to the Delhi Police for the following six weeks before reporting to Kerala after that when announcing the decision.
Kappan, a reporter for the Malayalam news website Azhimukham, had previously been denied bail by the courts. He allegedly attempted to undermine Hathras’s law and order situation, according to the police.
Additionally, they asserted that the defendant was connected to the Popular Front of India (PFI). Kappan, however, steadfastly defended his innocence, alleging that a scheme to frame him had been employed.
The Uttar Pradesh administration contended in court today that Kappan was not a licenced journalist and had been paid to provoke unrest.
He was attempting to incite a riot and deploy explosives, according to Mahesh Jethmalani, who was speaking on behalf of the UP administration. He is a member of the PFI, which is a terrorist group.