New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Kerela journalist Siddique Kapnam, arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police over his alleged links with the Popular Front of India (PFI) and charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. A bench presided by Chief Justice of India U U Lalit directed that he be produced within three days before the trial court, which will release him on bail on conditions it deems fit.

The bench also comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and P S Narasimha said the court was taken through some documents on record. “At this stage, we refrain from dealing with and commenting on the progress of investigation and the materials collected by prosecution as the matter is at framing of charge.”

The bench said, however, that it was granting him bail “considering the length of custody undergone by the appellant and the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case”.

The court directed that Kappan should stay in Delhi for the first six weeks after release and report at the local police station every Monday. After this period, he will be at liberty to go to Kerala, where he will report at the local police station every Monday.

It also asked him to surrender his passport and not to get in touch with anyone connected with the controversy.

Kappan’s wife, Raihana Siddique, said she had moved a bail application with regard to the Enforcement Directorate case against him. “I hope Kappan will soon get bail in the ED case also. It was registered in connection with the UAPA case. I thank everyone who stood with me and my family in this legal fight. We cannot explain the trauma we had gone through in the past two years,’ she said.

Kappan and others were arrested on October 5, 2020 from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh on their way to Hathras, where a Dalit girl had been raped and murdered. While Kappan said he was going to report on the incident, police contended that the journalist’s trip was financed by a terrorist gang planning to spread disharmony in society.