New Delhi: The Wife of Journalist Siddique Kappan, Raihanath Kappan has sent a notice of contempt (through Advocate Wills Mathews) to the Uttar Pradesh Government Alleging Non-Compliance of Supreme Court’s Order dated April 28 and also, for submitting wrong/misleading information before the SC regarding his medical status.
Significantly, the Supreme Court had, on April 28 directed that Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan be shifted from Mathura Jail in Uttar Pradesh to a government hospital in Delhi for medical treatment.
Pursuant to this order, he was shifted from Mathura Jail to AIIMS, New Delhi in an ambulance and was under treatment since April 30, however, the Notice alleges that none of the family members or the lawyer of Kappan was informed about the progress of his medical condition/treatment till May 7, 2021.
Significantly, the Notice alleges that despite the Supreme Court’s order, which ordered that recovery of Mr.Sidhique Kappan was mandatory requirement for discharging him, and shifting him to Mathura jail, Kappan was discharged from AIIMS on May 7 even when he allegedly didn’t recover from COVID.
The Notice also states that according to UP Government’s version, Kappan was COVID Negative (as per the affidavit submitted before the Supreme Court), however, the letter alleges that in a letter received on May 8 by MP E T Mohammed Basheer from AIIMS, it was stated that Kappan was COVID Positive.
Also, the letter states that on April 27, the Government had submitted before the Supreme Court of India, that Kappan was COVID NEGATIVE and discharged from the hospital on April 27 and thus, was taken to Mathura jail.
Background
Siddique Kappan, was arrested along with 3 persons by UP Police while they were going to Hathras on October 3, and was subsequently booked under the UAPA alleging that he and his co-passengers were trying to incite communal riots and disrupt social harmony in the wake of the Hathras gangrape-murder case.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) filed a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court last year seeking Kappan’s release on the ground that he was illegally arrested. Later, Kappan’s wife also intervened in the case.
Recently, Kappan’s wife wrote to the CJI saying that that he (who has recently tested Positive for COVID-19) is chained like an animal in a cot of the Medical College Hospital, Mathura, without mobility, and that he is not able to take food, go to the toilet for the last more than 4 days, and is very critical.