The Allahabad High Court has rejected the bail plea moved by journalist Siddique Kappan who has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) [Sidhique Kappan v State Of UP]..Single-judge Justice Krishan Pahal rejected the plea by Kappan against a Sessions Court order denying him bail.The case status on the High Court website shows that the plea has been "dismissed on merits". Detailed order is yet to be uploaded on the website..Kappan, a reporter for Malayalam news portal Azhimukham and secretary of the Delhi unit of Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), was arrested along with three others in Uttar Pradesh in October 2020 while on his way to Hathras to report on the gang-rape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit girl.All of them were charged under Sections 17 and 18 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Section 124A (sedition), Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion) and Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of Indian Penal Code and Sections 65, 72 and 75 of the Information Technology Act.A Mathura court had rejected Kappan's bail plea in July 2021 on the ground that there was prima facie case that Kappan and other co-accused were trying to disturb the law and other situation when they were heading to cover the Hathras gang rape incident in Uttar Pradesh.
