The Supreme Court on September 9, Friday, granted bail to journalist Siddique Kappan who was in jail for nearly two years. He had been under incarceration since October 2020 after being arrested along with three others while on their way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh to report the gang rape and murder of a Dalit woman by few dominant caste men. The news of Kappan being granted bail has been welcomed by many.
“Journalist Siddique Kappan finally has bail more than two years after his arrest. Glad the Supreme Court has stood against indefinite detention at last,” tweeted Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.
Journalist Siddique Kappan finally has bail more than two years after his arrest. Glad the Supreme Court has stood against indefinite detention at last pic.twitter.com/oGyKRV6nwr
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 9, 2022
Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai said it took two years for the apex court to grant personal liberty to someone who had not committed any proven crime but was arrested while proceeding to cover Hathras story. “Will go down as a classic case of miscarriage of bail law,” the tweet read.
Most social media reactions that welcomed the grant of bail but were critical of his prolonged imprisonment despite prosecutors lacking concrete evidence. “SC granted bail to Journalist Siddique Kappan, who was in jail under draconian UAPA for performing his journalistic duty. Finally he will be out but justice is delayed” wrote Prashant Kanojia, national president of Rashtriya Lok Dal.
“Am crying. Siddique Kappan gets bail. Alhamdulillah.” tweeted journalist Rana Ayyub.
"As we celebrated Siddique Kappan's bail, let's remind ourselves of his partner Raihanath's struggles as well. She has held the space for him, the semblance of a life to return to while suffering the torture of incarceration alongside him,” wrote activist Natasha Narwal on Twitter, highlighting the role played by Kappan’s wife, who was campaigning for his release.
Journalist Samar Halarnkar also took to Twitter to express concern over the huge delay in granting him bail. “It is a matter of relief that #SiddiqueKappan got bail, but it is deeply disconcerting that he has been in prison for 711 days in a case where the evidence presented by the State was dismissed by the chief justice within 30 min. Now he must apply for bail from the PMLA court”, he tweeted. A case has been filed against Kappan under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2022 and a separate bail might be necessary if Kappan has to walk out of jail.
“Truth prevails,” tweeted Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra quoting an observation on the right to free expression that the Supreme Court made while granting bail to Kappan.
Siddique Kappan granted bail by SC.
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) September 9, 2022
Every person has right to free expression- trying to show victim needs justice & raise common voice. Will this be crime in eyes of law? - Supreme Court
Truth prevails.
VT Balram, former MLA and Congress leader in a Facebook post said that every step counts, every voice matters. "Justice, though after much delay," he wrote.
Watch Raihanath SIddique Kappan Interview to TNM