Siddique Kappan was part of plot to foment discord, UP government tells SC

NEW DELHI: Opposing the bail plea of Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan who is facing prosecution under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the UP government told the SC on Tuesday that he was a part of the larger conspiracy “to foment religious discord and spread terror in the country”.
The state in its a ffidavit submitted that the accused “has a deep nexus with the extremist PFI” and its chapters including CFI (Campus Front of India, the student wing of PFI) and its top leadership. “The investigation has revealed that the petitioner is part of the larger cons piracy with the co-accused (including the financial launderer of CFI, Rauf S harif) to foment religious discord and spread terror in the country, especially in the wake of anti-CAA protests and violence, the Babri Masjid decision of this Court and and the Hathras incident,” the affidavit said.
The state filed its response on a bail plea of Kappan who had approached the Supr eme court through advocate Haris Beeran after the Allahabad high court refused to grant him relief. On the last hearing, Kappan contended before the court that he is not associated with PFI and was working as a journalist. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for him, had also said that PFI is n either banned n or a terrorist organisation and had raised questions on why the state was stressing on the alleged link between Kappan with that organisation.