THIRUVANANDAPURAM: Siddique Kappan, a journalist from Kerala who was detained in Uttar Pradesh more than two years ago while reporting on the alleged rape case of a young woman whose death sparked nationwide protests, was released today, February 2. He had been in jail for over a month after he got bail in the two cases against him.

"I'll keep up the fight against oppressive legislation. After a protracted struggle, they kept me in jail for 28 months even after I received bail. I'm not sure who stands to gain by my imprisonment. Despite the difficulty of these two years, I never felt terrified "He said after his release from the jail in Lucknow.

Last night, Mr. Kappan was supposed to leave, but he was unable to do so because the judge of a special court that hears money laundering cases was preoccupied with a bar council election.

On his way to Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, in October 2020 to report on the alleged gang rape and death of a 20-year-old Dalit woman, which led to riots across the nation, he was detained. He was headed there, according to the cops, to stir some trouble.

A week after allegedly being subjected to many gang rapes, the woman passed away in a hospital in Delhi. The district authorities cremated her in the middle of the night in her hamlet, which led to claims of a cover-up and considerable criticism of the Yogi Adityanath administration.

Sedition charges were brought against Mr. Kappan under the strict anti-terror law UAPA. The Enforcement Directorate filed a money laundering case against him in February 2022, alleging that he had received funds from the outlawed People's Front of India.

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