New Delhi- Aslah Kayyalakkath, the founding editor of Maktoob Media, an independent news platform focused on minority issues, was granted bail on Wednesday February 4, by the Vadakara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kerala. The bail comes in a suo motu First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Kerala Police against him, freelance journalist Rejaz M Sheeba Sydeek, and lawyer Adv. Ameen Hassan.

The case stems from a 2023 investigative report published by Maktoob Media that highlighted alleged arbitrary detentions of Muslim youths and anti-Muslim bias in the police's response to the Kalamassery blasts.

Maktoob is an award-winning Indian news media that focuses on human rights and minorities. It has a reputation for high editorial standards. 

The development has reignited debates over press freedom, the criminalization of journalism, and alleged misuse of law to target critical reporting in India. Kayyalakkath described the FIR as a "blatant abuse of law" and vowed to fight until it is quashed, emphasizing that "journalism is not a crime."

Background of the Kalamassery Blast Incident

On October 29, 2023, multiple improvised explosive device (IED) blasts occurred at the Zamra Convention Centre in Kalamassery, Ernakulam district, Kerala, during a Jehovah's Witnesses prayer meeting. The explosions killed three people and injured over 50 others.

The prime accused, Dominic Martin, a 48-year-old former Jehovah's Witness, surrendered to the police shortly after the incident. In a video he posted online before the attack, Martin claimed responsibility, stating he acted to "protect" other faiths from what he viewed as the seditious teachings of his former religious group. He had reportedly planned the attack for months, learning bomb-making techniques from online sources. Martin confessed to the crime, and investigations confirmed he acted alone, with no links to any organized group or communal motive targeting other communities.

Despite the quick confession and identification of Martin as the sole perpetrator, reports emerged that Kerala Police detained several Muslim youths in preventive custody in the immediate aftermath, both before and after Martin's surrender.

Maktoob Media published an article on October 30, 2023, titled "In Kerala, Muslim youths detained for hours following blast; accuse Kerala Police of anti-Muslim bias." The report, authored by freelance journalist Rejaz M Sheeba Sydeek, documented the experiences of at least five Muslim men from Ernakulam and surrounding areas who were picked up by police teams, including commandos, and held for hours without formal charges or clear justification.

Key points from the report included: Detainees like Nizam (42) and Abdul Sathar were taken from their homes and held at police stations. They claimed police cited "preventive custody" related to the blast but released them after Martin's confession, often on instructions received over phone.

Another detainee, Shamsuddin, alleged a pattern of diverting blame toward Muslims whenever incidents occur, calling it a "conspiracy and nexus between bureaucrats and the media."

The article quoted Adv. Ameen Hassan, who called preventive detention "draconian" despite being technically legal, and even senior police officers for their perspectives.

It accused the police of anti-Muslim prejudice, pointing to the detentions despite no evidence linking the Muslim youths to the blast.

The Vadakara Police Station in Kozhikode district registered a suo motu FIR against Rejaz under Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code (provocation with intent to cause riot) and possibly other sections. The case was later expanded to include Aslah Kayyalakkath (editor) and Adv. Ameen Hassan (for his quoted statement).

"The Maktoob report in question documented the arbitrary detention of Muslim youth after a blast that was later confessed to by a person called Dominik Martin. The story included voices of the detained Muslim men, activists, lawyers, and even senior police officers. Yet, the Kerala Police chose to file an FIR not just against Rejaz, the freelance journalist who reported the story, but also against me as the editor, and Adv. Ameen Hassan, a Muslim lawyer, simply for giving a quote in the report. An FIR for journalism. An FIR for a quote. An FIR against a reporter, an editor, and a lawyer. We will fight this case until the FIR is quashed. My mother stood as my surety in court today. Walking into court with the woman who taught me that speaking the truth is a basic moral duty was deeply moving and strengthening. Journalism is not a crime", Aslah stated in a detailed post shared through his x handle.