SC grants bail to Kerala youth charged with UAPA for having Maoist links

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to Thwaha Fasal, a journalism student in his twenties, charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly having Maoist links.

A Bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and AS Oka set aside the Kerala High Court order which had cancelled Fasal's bail granted by the trial court.

The Apex Court restored the special court order by which he was granted bail.

Fasal had challenged the Kerala High Court's order of cancelling bail granted to him by the special court.

The top court also dismissed the appeal filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) challenging the Kerala High Court judgment affirming the special court's order granting bail to another student Allan Shuaib in a UAPA case.

The trial court had granted them bail, while the Kerala High Court had cancelled Fasal's bail and not interfered with Shuhaib's.

The charge sheet filed by the NIA accused them of harbouring and associating with a banned Maoist outfit.

Fasal and Shuaib, who are students of Journalism and Law respectively and CPI(M)'s branch committee members, were arrested on November 2, 2019, from Kozhikode, under the UAPA for their alleged Maoist links.

( With inputs from ANI )