Kochi: The Kerala high court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to film-maker from Lakshadweep, Aisha Sultana, who has been charged for sedition offences following her remarks against Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda Patel. The bail gives her protection from arrest for another week. Justice Ashok Menon passed the bail order.
The court in its bail order that the charge of sedition is prima facie not tenable and that use of the word 'bioweapon' did not constitute sedition.
Earlier the High Court had granted her interim protection from arrest in view of her being summoned for questioning by the Kavarati police in Lakshadweep and pending the decision on her bail application.
The island police summoned her for questioning on her remarks about ''bioweapon being used in Lakshadweep and was questioned in three sessions on separate days. After the first question, she was asked to stay back in the island. As per reports, questions mostly centred over the intent of the term bioweapon, her contacts, antecedents and the data in her digital devices.
During the channel debate and through social media accounts, she attacked the union government for the anti-people administrative reforms of the administrator and had advocated strong defence against fascist moves of the administrator.