KOCHI: Filmmaker Aisha Sultana appeared before Lakshadweep police for interrogation in the sedition case charged against her on Wednesday morning. Aisha arrived at Kavaratti police station for interrogation at 10.30 am and was taken to the hospital for antigen test. After the test she was brought to the police station where senior officers quizzed her about the controversial remark made during a media discussion.
The police had interrogated Aisha on Sunday and directed her to stay back for four more days. The Kerala High Court had directed the Lakshadweep police to release Aisha on interim bail for a week if she needs to be arrested in the sedition case. The case was slapped on her for using the word bio-weapon while commenting on the relaxing of Covid norms in the island.
Meanwhile, Collector S Askar Ali has issued a caution notice to Aisha Sultana for violating the home quarantine rules and roaming around in public places. "You are hereby cautioned that stringent actions will be taken against you if you are violating the quarantine rule again which is specified as per the standard Covid protocol... You must remember that you are exempted from the mandatory quarantine provision only for the purpose of interrogation in the said case," the collector said in the notice.
Home quarantine for 7 days is mandatory in all islands for people who come from the mainland and from other islands. According to the collector, nodal officer Murad Sha had cautioned Aisha that she should not move out except for interrogation.
Meanwhile, it was noticed that Aisha had visited public places and interacted people after returning from police headquarters after interrogation on June 20. Later on, she had visited the village Dweep panchayat office at Kavaratti with panchayat members. On June 21, she visited the first line treatment centre for Covid patients at Dak Bunglow in Kavaratti at 6 am and interacted with Covid patients.
"Your action seems to be a deliberate attempt to get Covid infection and to spread this contagious disease to other people. It also causes a threat of infection to the police officers who are going to conduct further investigation. The officer concerned has submitted complaints in this regard to the competent authority," the collector said.