Siddique Kappan Not A Journalist, He Has Links With SIMI And PFI: UP Government Submits Before Supreme Court

The UP Government has told the Supreme Court that independent journalist Sidhique Kappan should not be granted relief as he has links with banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and was heading towards Hathras on the instructions of Delhi Riots accused, Md. Danish. The Affidavit filed by the UP Government in a habeas corpus petition moved by Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) states, "As per the detailed investigation till date, in the instant case, most of the members of PFI who are ex-office bearers of "banned organization SIMI" have been in close intimacy with the accused. Several incriminating evidence have been found from the house of the accused Sidhique Kappan during search — conducted on 11.11.2020, after obtaining due remand orders from the Ld. CJM Court, Mathura. These documents disclosed crucial information/journey of the very formation of PFI as a reincarnation of SIMI after it being banned, also that the motive and ideology of both the organizations PFI has also been involved in anti-national activities and keeping links with terror outfits like ISIS." The Government has further claimed that Kappan and all other co-accused were heading towards Hathras in pre-planned manner to execute unlawful activities and to disrupt the public peace of the state by provoking the class and caste conflicts within the state. "Investigation has revealed that the accused Sidhique Kappan and his co-accused were mobilized towards Hathras upon instructions of Md. Danish, who is himself chargesheeted accused in the Delhi Riots case," the affidavit states. It is alleged that Kappan is not even a journalist and he presented a fake Identity Card claiming himself to be a reporter of a Malayam newspaper "Thejas". The Government claimed, "Investigation has revealed that this newspaper closed operations in December 2018 and has not been in existence since then…Since the newspaper "Thejas" stopped publishing tn December 2018, it is wrong to suggest that he is a working journalist and was approaching Hathras in order to report the incident." It is alleged that Kappan is not assisting in the Investigation and has refused to disclose his social media accounts, passwords and details in order to conceal his misdeeds. It is stated that various evidences are yet to be collected/ recorded in the case and if the bail application is allowed at this stage, then there is a "strong likelihood" that Kappan will interfere with the course of investigation, will make himself scarce by going underground. The submissions have come in response to a rejoinder affidavit filed by KUWJ, earlier this month. The organization had claimed that the UP Police has wrongly mentioned the time of Kappan's arrest. It was also alleged that Kappan was subjected to custodial torture, not allowed to speak to his family for 29 days of after arrest, and was prevented from signing a vakalatnama for authorising his counsel. Siddique Kappan's Arrest : Kerala Union Of Working Journalists Seeks Independent Enquiry By Retired SC Judge Responding to these allegations, the UP Government submitted: Allegation that there is any discrepancy as to the time of arrest of the accused is wrong. The accused was arrested at 16:40 pm on 05.10.2020 only after interrogation, search of vehicle and only upon the police being "reasonably suspicious" as to the conduct and intention of the accused, when was the arrest made under Section 151/107/116 of Cr.P.C. The entire GD Entry, procedural statutory compliances involved after arrest, which includes information to family of the accused, medical examination, production before the magistrate within 24 hours etc., in any manner do not infer even an iota of doubt as to any such discrepancy. The guidelines issued by the Supreme Court in DK Basu v. State of West Bengal, 1997 1SCC 416, have been followed in letter and spiritIt is falsely alleged that custodial injury was caused on 05.10.2020. It is stated that the accused Sidhique Kappan was medically examined by the doctor on duty on 06.10.2020 at 09:17 am wherein no fresh injury has been found, details of the same were duly entered in the General Diary.It is wrong on the part of the Petitioner to allege that no information was provided to the family members of the accused upon being arrested by the Police. It is stated that as soon as Kappan provided the contact details of his relatives to police officials, the concerned police official timely and diligently informed Mr. Azma - brother of Mr. Sidhique Kappan.No lawyer has ever approached the Jail authorities with any vakalatnama to be signed by Kappan. Even on 21.11.2020 the lawyer Mr. Will Mathews who came to meet the accused did not present any vakalatnama to the jail authorities for verification. The UP Government has pointed out that the three other individuals travelling in the same car as Kappan have been...

Siddique Kappan Not A Journalist, He Has Links With SIMI And PFI: UP Government Submits Before Supreme Court

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