SC issues notice to UP govt on plea against arrest of journalist Siddique Kappan

November 16, 2020

New Delhi, Nov 16: Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and sought response on a plea seeking the release of Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan, who was arrested on his way to Hathras to meet the family of the Dalit rape victim, whose death triggered protests across the country.

Supreme Court was hearing a plea filed by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists, which has challenged the arrest and sought Kappan’s release.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal while arguing for the KUWJ said, “The FIR does not disclose any offence against him. He has been in jail since October 5. When we went to the magistrate asking for permission to meet the journalist, they said go to the jail.”

Sibal informed the court that a plea for interim bail for journalist Siddique Kappan had also been filed. However, since the KUWJ representatives were not allowed to meet Kappan in jail, they have not been able to get his signature.

The matter was heard by a three-judge Supreme Court bench led by CJI SA Bobde. It will now be heard on Friday.

However, Supreme Court asked why the plea was not filed before the Allahabad High Court. "This is a journalist who has been in jail since October 5. This is an exceptional circumstance," argued Sibal.

A Mathura court on Friday dismissed the bail plea of three persons, booked on charges of sedition and terrorism after their arrest here along with Siddique Kappan on their way to a Hathras village to meet the family of the Dalit woman who had died after the horrific gangrape.

Additional District Judge Mayur Jain rejected the bail pleas of Atiqur Rahman, Aalam and Masood saying the charges against the accused are serious and they cannot be enlarged on bail at this juncture when the investigation into the case is still going on.

Journalist Siddique Kappan and three others were arrested by Mathura police on October 5, while they were on their way to a village in Hathras to meet the family members of the Dalit girl, who had died in a Delhi hospital while undergoing treatment after a gangrape in her village.

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Waqf row: BJP stages ‘our land, our right’ protest across Karnataka for second day

News Network

November 22,2024

Bengaluru, Nov 22: For the second day running, the Karnataka BJP on Friday staged a statewide protest condemning the government’s alleged move to notify land of farmers as Waqf property.

The BJP staged a protest before the offices of Deputy Commissioners at district headquarters.

The BJP leaders are vehemently demanding that the state government cancel a 1974 Gazette notification in this regard.

The agitators are also demanding scrapping of the Waqf Board and the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister for Waqf and Housing Zameer Ahmad Khan.

The BJP MLAs, MLCs, MPs gathered in the premises of Freedom Park and staged a protest under the leadership of Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and slammed the state government.

MLA T.S. Srivatsa led the protest in Mysuru and hundreds of party workers and farmers staged the protest under the leadership of former MP Pratap Simha in Kodagu.

Former MP Sumalatha Ambareesh led the agitation in Mandya.

This was the first time that Sumalatha took part in the party’s programme after the Lok Sabha elections.

State President B.Y. Vijayendra claimed, “The Congress government in Karnataka is issuing notices to farmers claiming the ownership of their lands to the Waqf Board and pushing them on the streets overnight.”

In the first week of December, three teams formed by the BJP will travel across the state and record the grievances of farmers.

“The state government is attempting to snatch away the lands belonging to temples as well,” Vijayendra alleged and added that the teams would comprise all senior leaders of the BJP.

Meanwhile, the police have taken Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik into custody while staging a protest march to the office of Zameer Ahmad Khan in Bengaluru.

Muthalik along with Hindutva activists was planning to lay siege to Zameer’s office over the Waqf row.

The police stopped Muthalik and requested him to submit the memorandum by reaching the minister’s office in a vehicle. However, Muthalik refused to go with the police and continued his footmarch. The police took him into custody following arguments.

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