Kochi: Two students, arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in November last year for their alleged Maoist links, were released from jail on Friday, two days after a special NIA court granted them bail. The two– Thaha Fazal, a journalism student, and Allan Shuhaib, studying for law, were released on stringent bail conditions.
Thaha Fazal said he was happy on being released, while Suhaib’s mother said the family was thankful to all those who had helped them. The local police had arrested them under the UAPA after stating that banned Maoists pamphlets and books were seized from them.
The case was later handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The NIA court, while granting them bail, had directed the duo to appear before their respective police stations on the first Saturday of every month, surrender their passports and not to get in touch with Maoist outfits.
The court had also directed their close relatives to stand sureties and execute bonds of Rs one lakh each. NIA’s plea on Friday that they should not be released until its appeal before the Kerala High court was taken up, was turned down by the NIA court.
The two, in their early twenties, and CPI(M)’s branch committee members, had been expelled by the marxist party after their arrest. There was widespread condemnation following their arrest.
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