Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan released from UP jail after 2 years | Lucknow News
LUCKNOW : Siddique Kappan, a journalist from Kerala who had been imprisoned under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), was freed on Thursday, 28 months after being detained while travelling to Hathras, where a dalit girl had allegedly been raped and killed, from Mathura.
Kappan’s lawyer Mohammad Dhanish KS said that sureties of Kappan had been verified by the court and sent to the Lucknow jail for his release.
His release delayed as district court was closed.
Lucknow jailor Rajendra Singh said that the district court’s release order was received at the jail around 5pm, hence as per the law, he could be not be released immediately. “We will ensure that he gets freed by Thursday morning,” he added.
Kappan was granted bail in the PMLA case by Justice DK Singh of Allahabad high court on December 23, 2022. Earlier on October 31, the Lucknow sessions court had rejected his bail plea and the Lucknow district judge framed charges against him and six others under Sections 3 (offence of money laundering) and 4 (punishment for money laundering) of the PMLA on December 8.
Dhanish KS added that the bail was given by the HC on December 23, but the district court which was to issue the release order, got closed for winter vacations. “When the court reopened on January 2, we started getting the sureties for his release prepared and by January 6, we got it done. On January 12, we finally submitted in the court, which issued the release order today (Wednesday),” he said.
Kappan was arrested along with three others near Mathura in October 2020 when they were on their way to Hathras to report the alleged gangrape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit girl. All of them were then booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Three more persons were arrested by the police for allegedly extending help to them.
The ED entered the probe against the seven after UP Police in its chargesheet accused them of money-laundering and illegal funding from abroad. The ED then filed a case against them under the PMLA.
On September 9, 2022, the Supreme Court granted bail to Kappan in the case filed against him by the UP Police under the UAPA. But he was not released as the ED case against him under the PMLA was still pending.
Kappan’s lawyer Mohammad Dhanish KS said that sureties of Kappan had been verified by the court and sent to the Lucknow jail for his release.
His release delayed as district court was closed.
Lucknow jailor Rajendra Singh said that the district court’s release order was received at the jail around 5pm, hence as per the law, he could be not be released immediately. “We will ensure that he gets freed by Thursday morning,” he added.
Kappan was granted bail in the PMLA case by Justice DK Singh of Allahabad high court on December 23, 2022. Earlier on October 31, the Lucknow sessions court had rejected his bail plea and the Lucknow district judge framed charges against him and six others under Sections 3 (offence of money laundering) and 4 (punishment for money laundering) of the PMLA on December 8.
Dhanish KS added that the bail was given by the HC on December 23, but the district court which was to issue the release order, got closed for winter vacations. “When the court reopened on January 2, we started getting the sureties for his release prepared and by January 6, we got it done. On January 12, we finally submitted in the court, which issued the release order today (Wednesday),” he said.
Kappan was arrested along with three others near Mathura in October 2020 when they were on their way to Hathras to report the alleged gangrape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit girl. All of them were then booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Three more persons were arrested by the police for allegedly extending help to them.
The ED entered the probe against the seven after UP Police in its chargesheet accused them of money-laundering and illegal funding from abroad. The ED then filed a case against them under the PMLA.
On September 9, 2022, the Supreme Court granted bail to Kappan in the case filed against him by the UP Police under the UAPA. But he was not released as the ED case against him under the PMLA was still pending.
