New Delhi: Malayalam journalist Siddique Kappan and three other people who were arrested by UP police in Mathura on Monday while on their way to Hathras have been arrested under the provisions of the Illicit Activity (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sedition . On Tuesday, a local Mathura court referred them to 14 days of judicial custody.
An FIR has been filed against them at the Mant police station, charging them under articles 124A (sedition), 153A (for promoting enmity between groups) and 295A (outraging religious feelings) of the IPC, articles 14 and 17 of the UAPA, articles 65., 72 and 76 of the Information Technology Law.
They were arrested near Mathura on Monday, and Kappan headed to Hathras to cover the current situation in the area in light of the death of the 19-year-old woman who was allegedly gang-raped by four Thakur men.
According to article 17 of the UAPA, “Whoever collects funds for the purpose of committing a terrorist act will be punished with imprisonment for a period of no less than five years but that may be extended to life imprisonment, and will also be liable to fine “.
In particular, on Tuesday, the Press Club of India (PCI) in its statement condemning the journalist’s arrest and demanding his immediate release, had said: “In these circumstances, our concern is that the UP Police have no qualms in using the fight against terrorism. provisions with which to accuse the Kerala journalist ”.
Statement from the Press Club of India on Kappan’s arrest.
Section 14 of the UAPA states: “Whoever knowingly possesses assets derived or obtained from the commission of a terrorist act or acquired through the terrorist fund will be punished with imprisonment for a period that can be extended to life imprisonment, and will also be responsible for penalty fee.”
In the FIR, the deputy inspector accuses the four of carrying leaflets that say ‘Justice for the victim of Hathras’ and moving towards the district to disturb the peace as part of a “great conspiracy”.
On Tuesday, several unions and journalists’ organizations condemned Kappan’s arrest, saying he was trying to do his duty as a reporter. Kappan is a Delhi-based Malayalam journalist and secretary of the Delhi unit of the Kerala Trade Union of Worker Journalists (KUWJ). The Union had also filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India, asking it to “issue a writ of habeas corpus or any other appropriate writ, or orders directing the defendant … to bring Mr. Sidhique Kappan before this honorable court and release him from illegal detention. “
The other three detainees have been identified as Atiq-ur Rehman, Masood Ahmed and Alam. While Rehman and Ahmed are members of the Campus Front of India (CFI), the student wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI), Alam was driving the vehicle in which they were traveling to Hathras.
The PFI had said that “the UP Police are trying to divert attention from the issue by creating a conspiracy theory.” According to a statement released by the organization, “such acts only show their nervousness due to the growing anger between the people of UP and the rest of the country. The Popular Front will not be intimidated by such repressive tactics by the UP government. “
UP police had claimed that the four men were stopped at a toll booth after receiving information that some “suspicious persons were heading to Hathras from Delhi”. According to a police statement, they have seized a laptop, their mobile phones and some literature that “could have an impact on peace and public order in the state.” Police allege that the detainees received foreign funding to organize protests.
In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the UP government claimed that protests demanding justice for the Dalit woman who was allegedly gang-raped in Hathras district involved a “criminal conspiracy to spread the caste conflict , instigating violence, incidents of ruthless propaganda by sections of the media and political interests. ”He claimed that there have been“ orchestrated efforts ”to smear the government’s image.
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