Kappan a ‘mastermind’ with links to riots, says Uttar Pradesh in Supreme Court

The Uttar Pradesh authorities has objected to a plea by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) to launch its secretary, Sidhique Kappan, describing him as a “mastermind” with links to riots and disturbing public tranquility nationwide.

The State authorities, in an affidavit, stated Mr. Kappan and his different co-accused had been “mobilised towards” Hathras in Uttar Pradesh on the directions of Md. Danish, an accused in the Delhi riots case. They had been consistently in contact in Danish and Rauf Sherief, who’s the overall secretary of the scholars wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI). Mr. Kappan and his co-accused had been detained enroute to Hathras, the place a Dalit lady was allegedly gang-raped and he or she died later. They had been later booked beneath the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and offences beneath different felony legal guidelines.

Sibal seeks time

Appearing earlier than a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde on Monday, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, for the KUWJ, sought time to file its response.

The State stated Mr. Kappan was straight and intently related with PFI members, who had been govt members of banned terrorist organisation SIMI.

The State accused the KUWJ of deceptive the court docket by portraying Mr. Kappan as a journalist. It stated he was solely an occasional contributor to some media shops. The id card proven by Mr. Kappan belonged to a paper, Thejas, which was closed in 2018.

However, this paper was an “acclaimed mouthpiece” of the PFI. The PFI is an “incarnation” of the banned SIMI.

‘Paper was extreme in its views’

“Thejas with which Sidhique Kappan has been associated is so extreme in its views that it has been creating religious discord in the State of Kerala insulting religious sentiments. The views of the paper were so extreme that it called terrorist Osama bin Laden a ‘martyr’ in its front page cover story on October 31, 2011”, the affidavit stated.

Mr. Kappan was “associated with PFI, which has been responsible for disrupting the public peace of the State of Kerala by provoking the class and caste conflicts”, it said and accused the PFI of anti-national actions and protecting links with terror outfits just like the ISIS. Several members of the PFI in Kerala, Delhi, Uttarakhand, U.P. have been charge-sheeted in varied offences, it famous.

The State submitted that Mr. Kappan and his co accused had been concerned in questionable monetary transactions. Funds had been acquired in crores of rupees. Mr. Kappan’s checking account mirrored “various suspicious cash deposits on numerous occasions and is under investigation”.