Siddique Kappan was arrested while heading to Hathras to report on the alleged gang-rape of a woman
Eleven Kerala MPs have written to the Chief Justice of India seeking speedy hearing and interim relief of Siddique Kappan, a Delhi-based journalist who was arrested on his way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh to report on the alleged gang-rape of a Dalit woman.
This comes a day after his wife petitioned the newly appointed Chief Justice NV Ramana saying that her husband has been tied to a cot in a hospital in Mathura and has been denied the right to go to toilet for over four days even after he was infected with coronavirus.
"Unable to consume food and with denied right to a toilet for four days, he (Siddique Kappan) has become extremely weak. It is shocking beyond words that such grave violation of human rights is happening in our India, a democracy," the MPs wrote in their petition seeking interim relief and medical assistance for the journalist from Kerala.
The MPs belong to Congress and its allies. Congress leaders K Sudhakaran and K Muraleedharan are among the signatories of the petition.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also wrote a letter to his UP-counterpart Yogi Adityanath seeking his intervention in the matter.
"It is reported that he (Siddique Kappan) is having diabetes and heart ailments. After getting infected with Covid-19, he has been admitted to KVM Hospital, Mathura. He is reportedly being kept chained to his bed even when his health condition is precarious," Mr Vijayan wrote in his letter.
"Expert health care necessary for him, may also be seriously considered by shifting him to another super speciality hospital, where modern life saving facilities are ensured," the Chief Minister added in his letter.
Mr Kappan and three others were heading to Hathras to report on the alleged gang-rape of a woman - who died later in hospital - when they were arrested and charged under a law on terrorism. The UP police said they acted on a tip about "suspicious people".
In the FIR (First Information Report), the police used a section of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act that deals with "raising funds for a terrorist act".