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Kerala Union of Working Journalists has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking direction to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the Uttar Pradesh Government for allegedly not complying with the order of the Supreme Court that had directed to provide adequate medical treatment to Journalist Sidhique Kappan.

The Supreme Court in its order dated April 28, 2021, noted: "to provide adequate and effective medical assistance to him, and to ally all apprehension relating to his health, it would be in the interest of justice to shift Sidhique Kappan to a Hospital in Delhi for proper medical treatment."

Journalist Siddique Kappan had been arrested on October 3, 2020, by the UP Police on his way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh after the 2020 Hathras rape and murder case and booked under UAPA for allegedly inciting communal violence.

The plea alleges that "the last part of the said order dated 28.04.2021 passed by this Hon'ble Court, in categorical terms directs the respondents/ state of UP that, recovery from illness of Mr. Sidhique Kappan was the first requirement for discharging him, and shifting him to Mathura Jail, whereas, the respondents got him discharged when Mr. Kappan was covid Positive, with high Sugar level around 460, along with serious dental problems and various other medical problems, and the act of discharging Mr. Sidhique Kappan/ the accused at Midnight on 06.05.2021, even depriving him of his sleep amount to contempt of court."

The plea further states that Kappan was on Journalistic duty and was carrying Press Identity Card at the time of arrest, and despite this arresting him amounts to preventing the media from doing its duty independently and fearlessly, which amounts to "keeping the media under detention", more particularly when media is "the Breath of Democracy."

Case Title: Kerala Union of Working Journalists Vs. Union of India