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Defence lawyer Madhuvan Dutt Chaturvedi says Kappan's custody 'illegal' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jtJ7DEZN0A

It's been more than a year since 42-year-old #SiddiqueKappan, a freelance journalist based in Kerala, has been behind bars in UP's Mathura district. Kappan was on his way to #Hathras to cover the gangrape of a Dalit woman when he was arrested by the UP police. Eight persons including Kappan have been booked under the #UAPA, IT Act and other IPC provisions related to sedition, promoting enmity and outraging religious feelings.

In an interview with Newslaundry, Kappan's defense lawyer, Madhuvan Dutt Chaturvedi said that Kappan's custody is illegal since the investigation agency didn't have the requisite sanction for UAPA offences.

Mere association or support for a terror outfit does not attract UAPA: Supreme Court OCTOBER 28, 2021 Krishnadas Rajagopal

“Mere association” with a terrorist organisation as a member or otherwise is not sufficient to attract an offence under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967...
Association or support for a terror outfit should be accompanied with an intention to commit acts to further the activities of the terrorist organisation, The court was dealing with Sections 38 (membership of a terrorist organisation) and 39 (supporting a terrorist organisation) of the UAPA. Both Section 38 and 39 attract imprisonment upto 10 years or fine or both.

The court said an “intention of furthering the activities of a terrorist organisation” could be inferred from “overt acts or acts of active participation of the accused in the activities of a terrorist organisation which are borne out from the materials forming a part of the chargesheet”.

SC Must Repeal Sedition Law, UAPA So Citizens Can 'Breathe More Freely': Justice Nariman https://thewire.in/law/sc-must-repeal-sedition-law-uapa-so-citizens-can-breathe-more-freely-justice-nariman 
"If you are booking persons, including journalists, under these laws which come with large sentences and no anticipatory bail, people would not speak their mind."

“I exhort the Supreme Court to not keep sending the case back to the government. Governments will come and go, and it is not the government’s business to start amending or repealing laws. There is a live case before the Supreme Court and it is important that the court use its power to strike down section 124A and the offending provisions of the UAPA to ensure that the citizens can breathe more freely. Maybe then India will move from 142 out of 180 to much higher (in the RSF’s 2021 World Press Freedom Index),”