Watching certain videos can't be reason to implicate a person as terrorist: HC

The Kerala High Court has observed that merely watching certain videos and speeches will not be a reason to implicate a person as a terrorist.

A division bench of justices A M Shaffique and P Somarajan made the observation while considering an appeal filed by one Muhammed Riyas, challenging an NIA court order denying bail to him.

In its recent verdict, the court also set aside the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court order and granted bail to him.

In his appeal, Riyas had submitted that he was arrested on terror charges following a complaint filed by his estranged wife, a Hindu woman who had converted to Islam.

He had contended that he was not part of any terrorist organisation as claimed by his wife and he had no connection with the same.

It is only on account of the matrimonial dispute or under the influence of some other person that she (wife) had levelled such allegations against him, he had submitted.

In its order, the bench said as far as the appellant is concerned, he was detained on the ground that he might have been involved in terrorist activities.

"The fact that he has seen certain videos and speeches as aforesaid by itself will not be a reason to implicate him as a terrorist, unless there are other materials to establish the same," the order said.

Noting that many such videos, speeches etc were in public domain, the bench said, "merely for the reason that one sees such matters it may not be possible for any person to establish that the accused is involved in terrorism."