New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) Opposition parties and journalist bodies on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court order granting bail in a UAPA case to Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, who was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police in October 2020.

They claimed Kappan was made a "soft target" by the Uttar Pradesh government and hoped he will also be granted bail in another case filed against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

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The Uttar Pradesh Police arrested Kappan over his alleged links with the Popular Front of India (PFI) when he was on his way to the Hathras village of the 19-year-old Dalit woman who was allegedly raped by four upper-caste men and later died.

He was charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

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The PFI had been accused in the past of funding protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act across the country.

"Welcome the order of Hon'ble Supreme Court granting bail to journalist, Mr Siddique Kappan. A fresh wind is blowing across the Legal and Judicial system. A Sun that has set must rise again. There will be a new dawn," senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said in a tweet.

Chidambaram's party colleague Shashi Tharoor echoed the sentiment.

"Journalist Siddique Kappan finally has bail more than two years after his arrest. Glad the Supreme Court has stood against indefinite detention at last," he tweeted.

Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra said, "Every person has the right to free expression – trying to show the victim needs justice & raising a common voice. Will this be a crime in the eyes of law? - Supreme Court Truth prevails."

While granting bail to Kappan, the Supreme Court noted that the prosecution has "not shown anything provocative" till now.

The Press Club of India and the Delhi Union of Journalists also welcomed the bail order.

The Press Club of India, in a statement, termed Kappan's arrest as an attempt to curb the freedom of press.

It claimed Kappan was made a "soft target" by the Uttar Pradesh government and demanded that police and administration officials be held accountable for failing to prove the charges against the journalist during the case trial.

In a statement, the Delhi Union of Journalists said, "Though delayed, this bail order is most welcome. We now hope that bail will also be granted to Kappan in another case filed against him under the PMLA and he will be out of jail."

"The DUJ will continue to stand with Kappan in the legal fight against the false cases filed against him. The bail order, it feels, is historic as it upholds and protects the freedom of expression in the face of multiple threats today," it said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)