The Supreme Court allowed Siddique Kappan, a Malayali journalist jailed in Uttar Pradesh, to see his mother through video conferencing. A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde took note of the submissions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), that the 90-year-old mother of Kappan was unwell and wanted to see her son.
The UP government told the Supreme Court on Friday that it would look into the possibility of facilitating the video-conferencing between Siddique Kappan, arrested on his way to Hathras where a young Dalit woman had died after allegedly being gang-raped, and his mother living in Kerala.
“Please allow her the video conferencing option so that she can see her son while she lives. We have filed an application. Please allow us,” Kapil Sibal told the bench during the hearing conducted through video conferencing.
We will allow, said the bench which also comprised justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.
The top court, meanwhile, fixed the plea of KUWJ questioning the arrest of Siddique Kappan for hearing on a non-miscellaneous day.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the UP government, told the bench that the issue be left to him and the authorities and they would look into the possibility of granting the video-conferencing facility.
Earlier, the UP government had opposed the bail plea of Siddique Kappan claiming that he has been associated with the Popular Front of India (PFI), ‘which has been responsible for disrupting the public peace by provoking class and caste conflicts to destroy public order and tarnish the image of the state government’.
Prior to this, the KUWJ had said that the accused is innocent and even urged the top court to order an independent inquiry by a retired judge to determine the facts of the illegal arrest and detention of Kappan.
Watch: Kerala journalists protest arrest of Siddique Kappan
Siddique Kappan was arrested on October 5 while he was on his way to Hathras, home to the young Dalit woman who died after being allegedly gang-raped by four dominant-caste men.
The First Information Report has been filed under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against four people including Kappan.
The cremation of the young woman in Hathras, at night by the authorities, allegedly without the parents' consent, had triggered widespread outrage.
(With PTI input)