NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday informed the Supreme Court that Siddiqui Kappan was trying to enter Hathras disguised as a journalist and countered the claims of Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) that Kappan was illegally confined.
Kappan was arrested while on his way to Hathras where a young Dalit woman had died after allegedly being gang-raped.
The Uttar Pradesh government's response came following a bail application filed by KUWJ in the Supreme Court. In its plea, the union had sought Kappan's immediate production and release from “illegal detention”.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta countered the claims of "illegal detention" of Kappan. The state government said that though family members of Kappan were immediately informed following his arrest, however, no one from his family has come to meet him in jail. Mehta also said that the government has no objection to advocates meeting Kappan inside the jail.
Questioning the locus standi of journalist association, UP said during judicial custody, Kappan has interacted with his family members thrice on phone — on November 2, 10 and 17. He has never requested to meet any relative or lawyer, nor has filed an application for this purpose till date.
UP said it never had nor has any objection to the journalist association sending a lawyer to the jail to get Kappan’s signature on the
vakalatnama.
The Uttar Pradesh government further claimed that Kappan is a PFI (Popular Front of India) secretary and was going to Hathras in the garb of a journalist.
The state government told the apex court that Kappan claimed to work for a Kerala-based newspaper, 'Tejas', which had closed in 2008.
Kappan was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police on October 5 while he was on his way to Hathras, home to the young Dalit woman who died after being allegedly gang-raped by four upper-caste men.
A 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly gang-raped on September 14, 2020, in a village in the district. Her cremation at night by the authorities, allegedly without the parents' consent, has triggered widespread outrage.
(With inputs from agencies)