HC grants bails to alleged maoist activists

KOCHI: The high court on Tuesday granted bail to Thushar Nirmal Sarathy and Jaison C Cooper, who allegedly belong to a Maoist front organization. Sarathy and Cooper, who were arrested after the attack on NHAI’s Kochi office, were later released from Kakkanad district jail on Tuesday evening.
A division bench comprising justices KT Sankaran and Babu Mathew P Joseph granted conditional bails after prosecution informed that their continued detention is not warranted.Though they had sought bails earlier, a single bench of the court had declined their request after the prosecution had opposed the pleas saying that investigation was at an early stage.
Granting bails, the division bench has ordered them to execute bonds for Rs 25,000 each with two solvent sureties for the like sum each. Further, they have been asked not to leave the state without obtaining prior permission from the court. They should appear before the Thrikkakara assistant commissioner between 9am and 11am on all Mondays and have to surrender their passports before the sessions court. They have also been directed not to engage in similar offences while out on bail or to try to influence or threaten anybody related to the case or the officers involved.
Jaison was arrested on January 25 by Ernakulam South police after seizing printed materials that were allegedly pro-Maoist. Thushar, who is a lawyer, was arrested by Hill Palace police on January 30. It was alleged by police that ‘Janakeeya Manushyavakasa Prasthanam’, in which the petitioners are members, is a front organization for Maoist activities, which is banned as per Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) of 1967 (UAPA). They were booked under provisions of UAPA.
Though they had sought bails from sessions court and a single bench of the high court earlier, their pleas were dismissed. Their counsel argued before the division bench that the investigating officers have not collected any evidence to show any imminent threat or danger to peaceful life in the country from the part of the petitioners. Therefore, no unlawful activity, as defined under section 13 of UAPA occurred, he had submitted.