Kochi: Alan Shuhaib and Thaha Fasal, who were arrested by the Kerala Police under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for their alleged Maoist links, were granted bail on Wednesday.
The NIA court in Kochi granted bail to Alan and Thaha under strict restrictions after a period of 10 months. The two accused had been in judicial remand.
Besides a bond of Rs 1 lakh and bail by one of the parents, the restrictions include surrender of the passport and an assurance to not get in touch with Maoist organisations.
The duo have also been asked to present themselves at the police station every Saturday and sign in the register.
The court granted the bail while considering the duo's bail application. Their bail pleas were earlier rejected by the Kozhikode Sessions Court and Kerala High Court.
Alan and Thaha, students of journalism and law respectively and the CPI(M)'s branch committee members, were arrested on November 2 under the UAPA Act from Peruman Perummal area of Kozhikode, for alleged links with Maoists. The CPI(M) in Kerala had expelled them from the party following the incident.
As per police version, posters and leaflets of groups having links with Maoist organisations were recovered from the accused persons.
NIA re-registered an FIR against the two under Section 20 of UAPA after taking over the probe on December 18, 2019.
The NIA had submitted a charge sheet against them in court last April. The first accused and second accused in the case are Alan and Thaha respectively. The third accused in the case Usman is in hiding, the charge sheet stated.
