The Uttar Pradesh Government has opposed the bail plea filed by Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan in the case filed against him under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court on Monday, the State Government said that Kappan has close links with extremist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI), which has an anti-national agenda and he was part of the larger conspiracy with the co-accused (including the financial launderer of CFI, Rauf Sharif) to foment religious discord and spread terror in the country especially in the wake of anti CAA protests and violence, the Babri Masjid decision of this Hon’ble Court and the Hathras incident.
“The anti-national and terrorist PFI conspiracy and agenda dates back to 2010 (when PFI cadres (ex SIMI) had brutally maimed (hacked off the hands) of Christian Lecturer TJ Thomas of Newman College, and to 2013 when a PFI-backed weapons training terrorist camp was raided by the Kerala police at Narath, an investigation which was later taken over by the NIA," said the affidavit, opposing bail petition.
Kappan who worked in PFI’s newspaper Thejas was arrested on October 5, 2020 on his way to Hathras along with other two PFI leaders. Kappan was Delhi Unit Secretary of Kerala Working Journalists Union. Kappan’s claim was he as a journalist was going to report the rape and murder incident in Hathras.
His bail petitions were rejected by trial court and High Court.