Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, others were arrested when they were on their way to UP's Hathras
A court in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura dropped proceedings on charges related to apprehension of breach of peace against Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan and three others on Tuesday as the police failed to complete the inquiry against them within the prescribed period of six months, the defence counsel said.
Siddique Kappan and his alleged associates, who were suspected to be linked to the radical group Popular Front of India (PFI), were arrested on October 5 when they were on their way to UP's Hathras village after the alleged gangrape and murder of a girl.
They were arrested on the apprehension of causing a breach of peace but were later slapped with stringent charges of sedition and violation of anti-terror law UAPA and Information Technology Act.
Sub Divisional Magistrate, Maant, Ram Datt Ram, on Tuesday discharged accused Atikurrahman, Aalam, journalist Siddique Kappan and Masood arrested under various sections of criminal law on October 5, 2020 by Maan police, defence counsel Madhuban Datt Chaturvedi said.
As the limitation for completing proceedings under the law has expired, the proceedings against the four accused are dropped, the order of the magistrate said.
The accused are in jail since October 7 last year in another case under sections 153A (promoting enmity between groups...), 295A (outraging religious feelings), 124A (sedition), 120B (conspiracy) of IPC, 17/18 of UAPA (raising funds for terrorist act) and under the IT Act.
The police arrested the four accused and alleged that they were having links with PFI and intended to create unrest in Hathras.