Kerala HC postpones hearing NIA plea to cancel Allen, Thaha bail

The NIA had moved the HC seeking to cancel the bail allowed to Allen Shuhaib and Thaha Fasal charged under UAPA by the trial court earlier.

Ernakulam: The Kerala High Court, on Wednesday postponed considering the National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s petition seeking to cancel the bail allowed to the two accused persons, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case, at Pantheerankavu, Kozhikode, by the Trial Court.

The HC Division bench chaired by Justices Haripal and Hariprasad would consider the petition on Friday.

The NIA had moved the HC seeking to cancel the bail allowed to Allen Shuhaib and Thaha Fasal charged under UAPA by the trial court earlier.

The accused persons had served 10 months in jail and were out on bail last Wednesday.

The HC Division Bench chaired by Justice M R Anitha had withdrawn from considering the NIA plea. Earlier, when Justice Anitha was a judge with the Principal Sessions Court, she had considered the bail plea of the accused in the UAPA.

Following this, there was a demand that the bench considering the NIA plea should be changed.

The NIA claims that there is evidence to establish the Maoist links of the accused persons under UAPA. Citing this, the NIA has moved the HC to cancel the bail allowed to Allen and Thaha by the lower court.

The NIA alleged that the trial court had failed in the examination of the evidence against the UAPA accused persons.

The NIA, in its petition, also stated that allowing bail to Allen and Thaha would set the wrong precedent and would affect the investigation process.