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Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan set to walk out of jail after 2 years
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Friday granted bail to Kerala- based journalist Siddique Kappan in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case, paving the way for his release after spending two years behind bars.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Friday granted bail to Kerala- based journalist Siddique Kappan in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case, paving the way for his release after spending two years behind bars.
A single bench of justice DK Singh provided the relief after noting that the Enforcement Directorate’s investigation lacked ascribing any specific role to Kappan in the case relating to illicit transaction of money to the tune of ₹1.36 crore, allegedly collected by now banned Popular Front of India (PFI) to spread terror in the country.
A resident of Malappuram in Kerala, Kappan was on his way to cover the gang rape and murder of a Dalit woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras town on October 5, 2020, when he was arrested from Mathura toll plaza, along with three others.
The police claimed the accused were active members of PFI and were trying to disturb law and order in the area.
Kappan has said that he was travelling to Hathras as a journalist for a Malayalam news portal “Azhimukhum” and that he was unnecessarily being linked to PFI due to his earlier stint as a journalist with a PFI-linked newspaper, Thejas. Thejas shut down in 2018 and since then Kappan has worked as a freelancer for regional Malayalam dailies.
The journalist was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Information Technology (IT) Act. He was later booked by the Enforcement Directorate in the PMLA case.
On September 9, the Supreme Court granted bail to Kappan in the UAPA case.
During the hearing on Friday, the judge noted that ED’s entire case was premised on a transfer of ₹5,000 to the bank account of a co-accused by a PFI member. This co-accused, Atikur Rahman, was travelling with Kappan to Hathras. “Even if it is believed that part of proceeds of crime was transferred in the bank account Atikur Rahman that itself may not be sufficient to prove that the accused-applicant has dealt with the proceeds of crime amounting to ₹1,36,14,291,” the court said.
“Kappan has been granted bail in the PMLA case. Now, no other case is pending against Kappan and he will be released from prison,” his lawyer Ishan Baghel, Kappan said. Kappan is currently lodged in Lucknow jail.
