Kochi: Filmmaker Ayesha Sulthana, facing allegations of sedition in Lakshadweep, was granted an anticipatory bail by the Kerala High Court here on Friday.
The Court allowed Sulthana, who was interrogated by the Kavaratti police three times, to return to Kochi from the Dweep. The Court had given her permission to travel upon a request made by her to visit a relative hospitalized in Kochi.
Meanwhile, the Lakshadweep administration and the police told the HC that Ayesha had violated COVID-19 protocols after arriving at the island for interrogation. Arguing against the anticipatory bail, they had told the court that Ayesha misused the protection given to her by a previous interim anticipatory bail.
Sulthana was interrogated by the Kavaratti police on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday in connection with the case registered on the basis of a complaint filed by a BJP leader in the Islands.
Emerging from the Kavaratti police station on Thursday, after nearly a three-hour long interrogation on , Sulthana said, "Everything is over. I am told that I can go back to Kochi. I will reach Kochi tomorrow or a day after."
The allegation is that the filmmaker, while participating in a debate telecast by a Malayalam news channel on June 7, had referred to the Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Patel as a 'bio-weapon' while denouncing the radical changes he has been overseeing in the archipelago.
Ahead of appearing for Thursday's probe, Sulthana said during the nearly eight-hour long questioning on Wednesday, the police had asked whether she had any contacts abroad.
"They checked my WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook accounts. They were searching whether I have any links with foreign countries," she said in a video circulated to the media.
Earlier on Sunday, she was questioned for three hours.
She appeared before the police after the Kerala High Court granted her interim anticipatory bail for a week, while reserving orders on her advance bail plea.
It had directed her to comply with the notice issued by the Kavaratti police to appear before them for interrogation on June 20 in connection with the sedition case.
(With PTI inputs)
