The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday assured the Supreme Court that it would consider the possibility of video conferencing between jailed scribe Siddique Kappan and his mother in Kerala.
Kappan was arrested on October 5 on his way to Hathras where a 19-year-old girl had died, succumbing to injuries sustained due to alleged gang rape.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), submitted before a bench presided over by Chief Justice S A Bobde that Kappan’s mother is very sick and before getting unconscious, she had expressed desire to speak to her son.
“Please allow her to talk to her son through video conferencing…she can talk to her son while she is alive. We have filed an application. Please allow us,” said Sibal.
The bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian orally observed that the court may allow the option of video conferencing.
On this, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the state government, submitted that the issue should be left to the authorities and they would examine the video-conferencing possibility.
The court also fixed KUWJ plea challenging Kappan’s arrest through a habeas corpus petition for hearing on a miscellaneous day.
Sibal contended that the jail authorities could at least allow the son to speak to his ailing mother while she is alive.
The Uttar Pradesh government had in December claimed before the court that Kappan, arrested on October 5 while on way to Hathras, has been found associated with the Popular Front of India, which is a "reincarnation" of banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
It had vehemently objected to Kappan’s bail plea.
(Published 22 January 2021, 11:16 IST)
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