On Wednesday, we saved ‘liberty’ from extinction - Many ignored, but interim bail granted to Arnab Goswami

Some Indians who have been languishing in jail without being convicted till now

Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami after being released from Taloja Central Jail on interim bail- PTI

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Imran Ahmed Siddiqui   |   TT   |  New Delhi   |   12.11.20  :  The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to Republic TV managing director Arnab Goswami who was arrested eight days ago in a suicide abetment case. “Please exercise your jurisdiction to uphold personal liberty.... Case after case, high courts are denying personal liberty,” the Supreme Court bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee told the high courts.

The following are some Indians who have been languishing in jail without being convicted till now:

Siddique Kappan, 41 

Delhi-based journalist booked under UAPA by UP police.

Days in custody: 38

Legal status: Journalist union’s habeas corpus petition to come up in the Supreme Court (SC) on November 16. SC had earlier advised the union to approach the “correct court” to establish the whereabouts of Kappan.

Sudha Bharadwaj, 58

Ailing lawyer and activist arrested under UAPA.

Days in custody: 806

Legal status: On September 24, SC had refused to entertain a bail plea, saying: “You have a good case on merits. Why don’t you file a regular bail application?”

Varavara Rao, 79

Ailing poet arrested under UAPA.

Days in custody: 806

In July, his family said he was unable to walk on his own or go to the washroom, and that he was hallucinating.

Stan Swamy, 83

Priest and tribal rights activist arrested under UAPA.

Days in custody: 34

The Parkinson’s Disease patient, along with Rao, is lodged in the same jail from where Goswami was released on Wednesday. Father Stan Swamy had to move a special court for permission to use a straw to drink water.

Aasif Sultan, 31

Kashmiri journalist accused of aiding terrorists.

Days in custody: 808

His family members as well as his colleagues have denied the allegation, saying he had merely reported on militants

Umar Khalid, 32

Former JNU student arrested under UAPA

Days in custody: 48

On September 21, a Delhi court had dismissed his application seeking permission to meet his family during police custody