Siddique Kappan
Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, arrested on way to Hathras, gets bail to meet mother
New Delhi/IBNS: The Supreme Court on Monday granted a bail for five days to Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, who was arrested on his way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh for reporting on the alleged rape of a Dalit woman, to meet his ailing mother, media reports said.
Kappan has been allowed to meet his 90-year-old mother who is said to be on her deathbed.
The court has said Kappan will be escorted by Uttar Pradesh police to Kerala and bring him back.
During the five days, the journalist can't speak to the media, post anything on social media, talk to anyone barring relatives or doctors or anyone connected to his mother's health.
Though Kappan, who is lodged in a jail in Mathura, was allowed to speak to his mother last month via video conference, he could not interact as she was unconscious at a hospital in Kerala's Malappuram.
Kappan and three others were arrested while they were on their way to Hathras to report on the alleged fatal gangrape of a Dalit woman. They were charged under the law on terrorism.
The gangrape incident had triggered nationwide outrage last year.
In the First Information Report (FIR), the police used a section of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act which deals with raising funds for a terrorist act.
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