The Supreme Court Monday granted 5-day interim bail to journalist Siddique Kappan, arrested on his way to Hathras where a young Dalit woman had died after being allegedly gang-raped, to visit his ailing mother.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, however, said that during his visit he shall not give any interview to the media, including social media.
The bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, said that Kappan will not meet members of the public except his relatives and doctors concerned.
It said he will be escorted by a team of Uttar Pradesh police officers and police in Kerala will cooperate with them.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Kerala Union of Working
Journalists (KUWJ), stated that Kappan's mother could not talk on video conference and the doctors have said she might live only for two or three more days.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, said however that the condition of Kappan's mother was not as serious as was being projected and no medical certificates are provided.
"There are posters in Kerala and the wife of Kappan is collecting money in his name as if he is a martyr... When he goes to Kerala to visit his mother political opinions would be formed," Mehta said.
The bench said it was taking Sibal's statements on face value and "we will not allow him (Kappan) to be paraded and he will go to his house under protection of armed guards".
On November 16 last year, the top court had sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government on the plea challenging the arrest of the journalist on his way to Hathras.Sibal had sought bail for the journalist saying that there was nothing against him in the FIR lodged at Mathura by UP Police.