Kochi: The wife of Siddique Kappan, who was arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police and charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), is seeking an explanation from the Malayala Manorama News channel after it was revealed that its Patna bureau journalist Binu Vijayan has given a statement against the former.
Speaking to the News Minute, Raihanath said that she will file a complaint with the newspaper authorities concerned and alleged that it is because of Vijayan's "baseless allegations" that her husband is charged under the UAPA.
In recent reports, it was revealed that Vijayan had given a statement to the UP police alleging that Kappan was involved in misappropriating funds when he was the Secretary of the Delhi chapter of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ).
He also apparently told the police that Kappan was involved in spreading "fake news to incite communal violence and pose danger to national integrity and communal harmony." The purported "fake news" was related to the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests at Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi in 2019. He also alleged that Kappan had influenced media coverage of the riots that took place in northeast Delhi in February 2020. These statements against Kappan have been included in the UP police's charge sheet.
She said that it is possible that someone gave the police some false information which caused the arrest as her husband had told her that police were waiting for him at the toll gate from where he was nabbed.
She added that her doubts have intensified with the involvement of the journalist and said that she will take further legal steps after receiving the charge sheet.
Journalist Siddique Kappan was arrested in October 2020 when he was on the way to Hathras to report on the gang rape and murder of a Dalit woman, allegedly by dominant caste men.
According to Raihanath, Vijayan had some disputes with the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) since he was not selected to be on its panel.
Another report by News Laundry has revealed that Vijayan had resigned from his membership when Kappan was selected as secretary of KUWJ in 2019.
Meanwhile KUWJ Delhi unit has denied Binu's allegations against Siddique Kappan.