NEW DELHI — Reacting to the Supreme Court order granting bail to Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, his wife Raihana expressed her happiness over the verdict, saying the the top court has realised the hollowness of the case against him.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Raihana said: “I express my gratitude towards the Supreme Court. He is innocent and had been lodged in jail for the last two years. Now the Supreme Court has realised the hollowness of the case against him”.
Kappan was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh government while on his way to Hathras to cover the gangrape and murder of a Dalit girl in October 2020 and subsequently booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
While Kappan said he was going to report on the incident, police contended that the journalist’s trip was financed by a terrorist gang planning to spread disharmony in society.
Raihana said they have moved a bail application with regard to the ED case against Kappan. “I hope that Kappan would soon get bail in the ED case also which was registered in connection with the UAPA case.”
“I thank everyone who stood with me and my family during this legal fight in the last two years. We cannot explain the trauma we had gone through the last two years,” she added.
The top court has directed Kappan to stay in Delhi for the first six weeks after release and report at the local police station every Monday. After this period, he will be at liberty to go to Kerala, where he will report at the local police station every Monday. — (Agencies)