SC grants journalist Siddique Kappan interim bail to meet his ailing mother

The Supreme Court on Monday granted five-day interim bail to Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan to visit his ailing mother in Kerla.

The bench headed by Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde in an order said that the Uttar Pradesh police will take him to his mother's house and Kerala Police shall guard the house but not remain present when Kappan meets his mother.

"We are of the view that the interest of justice would be sufficed, appropriate conditions would be imposed on him for appropriate safeguards of Kappan," said the Bench.

Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) had earlier pleaded to the court for the release of its secretary and journalist Siddique Kappan, who was detained along with some others on October 5 while on their way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, where a Dalit girl was allegedly gang-raped by four men.

An FIR had been registered under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in the case. The UP police had said it has arrested four people having links with the PFI in Mathura and identified the arrested persons as Siddique from Malappuram, Atiq-ur Rehman from Muzaffarnagar, Masood Ahmed from Bahraich and Alam from Rampur.

( With inputs from ANI )