11 UDF MPs write to CJI, seeking intervention for urgent hearing in Siddique Kappan case

Supreme Court of India. File Pic

Eleven MPs of the opposition UDF on Sunday sought the intervention of Supreme Court Chief Justice N V Ramana for an urgent hearing of the case of journalist Siddique Kappan, arrested while on his way to Hathras, where a young Dalit woman died after being allegedly gang raped.

In a letter to the CJI, the MPs of the Congress led UDF said that Kappan, who is incarcerated by the Uttar Pradesh Police in Mathura, sustained serious injuries after he fell unconscious in Mathura Jail.

Also Read: Jailed journalist Siddique Kappan's wife writes to CJI, requests his release

"He is presently suffering from COVID-19 and has been admitted in the Mathura Medical College Hospital in Mathura. His condition is serious and he needs better treatment. We, therefore, implore you to save Shri Kappans life by giving him an urgent hearing in the matter requesting for issue of necessary orders to shift him from Mathura Medical College Hospital to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi", said the signatories.

They said Kappan, the Delhi based journalist from Kerala, was unable to consume food and had been denied use of a toilet for four days, due to which he has become extremely weak.

"It is shocking beyond words that such a grave violation of human rights is happening in our India, a democracy. Therefore, we beseech you Sir, as the guardian of our Constitution, to examine this matter time sensitively and to provide an interim relief to Shri Siddique Kappan until the disposal of his Habeas Corpus application", the letter said.

The signatories included K Sudhakaran, K Muraleedharan, E T Mohammed Basheer, V K Sreekandan, Ramya Haridas, Benny Behanan MP, T N Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose, Anto Antony, N K Premachandran and P V Abdul Wahab.

Kappan was arrested on October 5, 2020 while he was on his way to Hathras, home to the young Dalit woman who died after being gangraped, allegedly by four upper-caste men.

The FIR has been filed under various provisions of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against four people having alleged links with the Popular Front of India, or PFI.

PFI had been accused in the past of funding protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act across the country.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.