Arrested Kerala Journalist Siddique Kappan’s Wife Asks Why Double Standards

Journalist Siddique Kappan was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police on October 5, while he was on his way to Hathras to report the alleged gang-rape and murder of a 19- year old Dalit woman. His wife Rahyanath hasn’t heard from him for over a month now.

The family is worried as a Mathura Court didn't allow his friends and family to meet Kappan in Mathura jail where he is incarcerated. Kappan’s lawyers say this has further delayed the bail procedure.

“What is his crime? I want to see him at least once, even if it means through a video call. Kappan is diabetic and we are in the dark about his current health condition. I am losing my will and courage,” says Rahyanath.

Kappan, a Delhi-based journalist and secretary of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) Delhi unit was working for a Malayalam portal Azhimukham. Kappan, along with three others was arrested from Mathura and the police have alleged that they were conspiring to disrupt peace in the area. All four were booked under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and were slapped with sedition charges.

Even after a month of arrest, his bail plea has not been heard. The journalist union filed an application in the Supreme Court last week urging the court to immediately hear Kappan’s bail petition. The union has also raised concerns over the violation of press freedom and denial of justice in Kappan’s case.

The top court is set to hear the application on November 16 says Wills Mathews, KUWJ lawyer. "No open door for video-conferencing was permitted and the solicitation for e-Mulakat under the E-detainment facilities framework was additionally dismissed. His relatives are absolutely reliant on him and have no other provider to deal with their necessities," the request documented by KUWJ expressed. It likewise makes reference to the situation of Kappan's 90-year-old bedridden mother. 

Kappan's significant other



Rahyanath says she neglects to comprehend why her better half's capture didn't summon a similar clamor as that of the ongoing confinement of Republic TV's Arnab Goswami. She brought up that numerous individuals have contrasted Goswami's capture and the Emergency time frame yet stay to be hush-hush about her significant other's capture. "Why such twofold guidelines? Similar pastors were quiet on my supplications and letters requesting Kappan's delivery," says the 35-year-old. 

While the UP police have slapped charges of trick and other fear charges on Kappan, Rahyanath, his partners, and companions vouch for the copyist's guiltlessness. "He planned to report an occurrence, which was of national significance. In our application likewise, we have conjured the instance of press opportunity and his case merits the assumption of honesty," says Wills Mathews.

Though the KUWJ had filed a habeas corpus petition on October 6 after Kappan’s arrest, the SC had referred the case to the Allahabad High Court and asked the petitioners to amend the plea. However, Kappan’s lawyers say that they failed to amend the plea after the Mathura Court rejected their request to meet with the journalist.

The lawyers representing KUWJ were denied permission by the Mathura court, when they tried to meet Kappan on October 16. “The Mathura court first asked us to go to jail and meet Kappan there. But the jail authorities insisted on CJM's order. When we went back to the court, they made us wait and our application was rejected late in the evening,” said Mathews.

P K Manikantan, former secretary of KUWJ says the Uttar Pradesh police and the government have failed to ensure justice to his colleague. “We have only heard the police version till now. No one knows Kappan’s side of the story. Police say that he belongs to the Popular Front of India (PFI). But his family, friends, and people who know him swear that he is not a member of PFI, he is a journalist,” says Manikantan.