The Kerala High Court on Thursday granted interim anticipatory bail to Lakshadweep filmmaker Aisha Sultana in the sedition case registered against her by the Kavaratti police.
The court ordered that in case the police arrest her in the sedition case, she shall be granted bail. The court also directed that her lawyer's presence should be allowed in case her arrest was recorded. The anticipatory bail plea would be considered again next week.
The Kavaratti police registered the case on the basis of a petition filed by BJP Lakshadweep president Abdulkhader Haji citing a remark of Sultana in a TV channel discussion that Covid-19 surge in Lakshadweep due to decisions of administrator Praful Khoda Patel was a 'bio weapon' of the BJP. She was issued a notice to report at the police station on June 20. Subsequently, she filed the anticipatory bail plea.
Sultana maintained that she only reacted against the various decisions of the Lakshadweep administration as she also hailed from the island and the sedition charges were baseless. But the Lakshadweep administration maintained that she allegedly tried to spread hatred. Various rights forums had backed Sultana.
Published 17 June 2021, 14:10 IST