SC grants bail to Thwaha Fasal held under UAPA over Maoist links

Thwaha and Allan
Thwaha Fasal and co-accused Allan Shuhaib. File photo.

 

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to Thwaha Fasal, a Malayali student who was arrested in November 2019 under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for alleged Maoist links.

 

Thwaha had filed an appeal with the apex court challenging a Kerala High Court judgement in January that cancelled a bail granted to him by an NIA Special Court. A bench comprising justices Ajay Rastogi and AS Oka set aside the high court order.

 

The Live Law portal reported that the SC has directed Fasal to be produced before the trial court to complete the bail formalities.

 

Fasal's advocate had argued that the NIA chargesheet did not establish that he had the intention to indulge in Maoist activities that warranted charges under UAPA.

 

Fasal's co-accused Allan Shuhaib had been granted bail earlier. The division bench of the high court had refused to cancel Shuhaib's bail considering his young age and health.

 

Fasal and Shuhaib, who are students of Journalism and Law respectively and CPM branch committee members, were arrested on November 2, 2019 from Kozhikode.

 

The police had allegedly seized objectionable printed and written materials from them which include violent exhortations for civil war, in tune with Maoist ideology. The CPM had expelled them from the party following their alleged link with Maoists.
(With PTI inputs)

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