Lakshadweep sedition case: Kerala HC grants interim bail to Aisha Sultana

KOCHI: The Kerala high court on Thursday granted interim anticipatory bail to Lakshadweep film maker Aisha Sultana in the sedition case filed against her.
The court issued the order after considering an anticipatory bail plea filed by Aisha through senior advocate P Vijayabhanu.
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The court directed her to appear before the investigating officer and cooperate with the probe. If she is to be arrested after interrogation, she should be released on interim anticipatory bail for a week upon executing a bond with sureties, the court ordered. If she is proposed to be arrested during interrogation, she should be granted legal assistance by providing an advocate, the court added. The court also dismissed an impleading application filed by the de facto complainant Pratheesh Viswanath.
Lakshadweep administration, on behalf of police, had contended before the court that she has to be interrogated. A statement was filed before the high court on Wednesday by S Manu, the standing counsel for Lakshadweep Administration, in response to Aisha’s plea for anticipatory bail in the case registered on June 9th.
As per the statement, the investigation in the case is at a preliminary stage and interrogation of the applicant is unavoidable for its progress.
The alleged statement of the applicant in a news channel discussion, that Central government relaxed Covid-19 quarantine restrictions for visitors to Lakshadweep so as to use Covid as a bioweapon against the islanders, is sufficient to arouse hatred or contempt among the people of Lakshadweep towards the Government of India. It can be prima facie considered as an attempt to excite disaffection among the people towards the Government of India, the statement said.
Further, the administration has contended that her statement has a tendency to create disorder or disturbance of public peace by resort to violence. It also prima facie amounts to an assertion prejudicial to national integration, the statement said while explaining the reason for booking her for sedition and imputation prejudicial to national integration.