HC grants bails to alleged Maoist activists

Kochi: The High Court Tuesday granted bail to two activists arrested under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act by Kerala police in January this year on the charge of being Maoist sympathisers.

Tushar Nirmal Sarathy and Jaison C Cooper, who are in jail since January 30, were granted bail by a division bench comprising Justice K T Sankaran and Justice Babu Mathew P Joseph.

The court directed the two to furnish bond for Rs 25,000 plus two solvent surety of the like amount. They have been directed to appear before Thrikkakara Assistant Commissioner every Monday and surrender their passports.

It also directed that they shall not leave Kerala without prior permission of the Sessions Court and shall not be involved in similar cases.

Earlier, the National Human Rights Commission had issued a notice to Kerala government over the allegations that human rights defenders and rights activists in the state were being arrested after being levelled as 'Maoist sympathisers'.

While Jaison was arrested here on January 29 this year Tushar was apprehended after a press conference in Kozhikode on the same day.