The Supreme Court on Monday said it will hear after four weeks a plea of journalists’ organisation against the arrest of a scribe by UP Police in Mathura while he was on way to Hathras, home to a Dalit woman who died after being allegedly gangraped by four upper-caste men.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde asked the petitioner to amend the petition and observed that they should approach the Allahabad High Court for the relief.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) had filed a habeas corpus petition in the top court against the arrest of the journalist, Sidhique Kappan.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, told the bench, also comprising Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, that Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act charges have been added in the case and no court in the State will give his client any relief.
“UAPA has been invoked. No court will not give me bail and the case will go on for years. This is a Habeas corpus petition but we can file a fresh petition under Article 32 of the Constitution which came be entertained by this court,” Sibal said after the apex court mentioned that the petitioners should approach the Allahabad high court for relief.
The apex court, however, said that habeas corpus petition can be only filed by family members. Sibal then sought time to amend the petition after which the matter was adjourned.