Scribe, 3 others arrested on way to Hathras booked on sedition charges

The Uttar Pradesh police on Wednesday booked four persons including Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan on sedition and other charges at Maant police station in Mathura two days after they were held while on their way to HathrasCharges under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the IT Act have also been filed against the four who were later remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by a Mathura court officials saidThe FIR claimed that police recovered pamphlets Justice for Hathras victim six mobiles and a laptop from them and during the initial probe it was found that they were going to Hathras with an intention to breach the peace as part of a conspiracyThe four were held on Monday when they were on their way to Hathras where a Dalit woman had died after allegedly being gangraped an incident that has sparked widespread outragePolice had earlier claimed that the four identified as Kappan a journalist of Malapuram in Kerala AtiqurRehman of Muzaffarnagar Masood Ahmad of Bahraich and Alam of Rampur had links with alleged radical group Popular Front of India and its affiliatesThey were on Wednesday booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code IPC including 124A sedition and 153A Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion race place of birth residence language etc and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony according to the FIR They have also been charged with IPC Section 295A Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefThe recovered pamphlets Am I not Indias daughter made with Carrdco encourage social discord and public unrest the FIR saidThe FIR alleged that internet platform Carrdco and website Justice for Hathras were being used to instigate cast violence riots and collecting donations Such websites are spreading antinational propaganda in the country and distorting facts to create tension and disturb law and order it allegedIn this way it is clear that prima facie internet platform Carrdco and website Justice for Hathras have committed offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and other ActsThe four persons and other unidentified persons have been found to be involved in these criminal acts and an investigation is necessary to find the details of their actions it saidIt has to be probed from where and why these websitea are being operated how much money is being collected through this platformwebsite where was this amount used and who were beneficiaries the FIR said Chief Judicial Magistrate Anju Rajput granted the police a 14day judicial remand of the four persons saying the offence is of serious nature and requires more interrogationEarlier the Kerala Union of Working Journalists KUWJ had sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking Kappans release and also filed a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme CourtThe Press Association and the Indian Women Press Corps on Wednesday described the journalists arrest as the Uttar Pradesh governments attempt to silence the media and demanded his immediate releaseThe UP government claims that the journalist has links with some groups but has not offered any proof in this regard they said in a statement Uttar Pradesh police had on Monday claimed the four people had links with the PFI which has been accused of funding protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act across the country earlier this year The state police had sought a ban on the outfitKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest newsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever