Case against me part of agenda; they want to suppress my voice: Aisha Sultana

Filmmaker Aisha Sultana, who was granted anticipatory bail by Kerala High Court, said the case imposed against her was a part of the agenda by the section of the people that wants to suppress her voice.

Filmmaker Aisha Sultana reached Kochi airport from Lakshadweep after attending the interrogation there in the sedition case registered against her by the Kavaratti Police.

Speaking to ANI, Sultana said, "I am very happy to be back from Lakshadweep after overcoming the problems. I am happy that the court ruled in my favour. I am happy that the court also stood with the issues of Lakshadweep. I was expecting an arrest. I have been questioned for so many days. It is fake that I violated the quarantine in Lakshadweep."

The filmmaker further said the police had seized her phone on the day of the court's verdicts.

"They checked my phone every time I was questioned. Mine and my mother's bank accounts were also checked. In addition, they seized my mobile on the day the verdict came from the Court. The phone is still in their hands," alleged Sultana.

"They said that they will summon me again if necessary. This is an agenda. This case was imposed on me by a section. Their agenda is to suppress my voice. Now even they have seized my mobile. When they complete checking on my phone, then they return, I have no issues. That is part of the job of investigative officers. I saw fear in these investigating officers. They are afraid of someone. I felt that even the questions they asked me came from someone's compulsion," she added.

The Kerala High Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to filmmaker Aisha Sultana in the sedition case registered against her by Kavaratti Police of Lakshadweep.The bench observed that "Prima facie, the offences alleged by the prosecution are not attracted. She has no criminal antecedents. She is not likely to flee from justice."

The sedition case was registered against her for her controversial 'bio-weapon' remark during a discussion on Lakshadweep policies implemented by Praful Koda Patel in a Malayalam news channel.

The Kerala High Court had granted her interim anticipatory bail for a week and had directed her to appear before police today for interrogation as per Section 41A Code of Criminal Procedure notice.

She was entitled to the benefit of the presence of her counsel during interrogation.

In the event of arrest, the court had said that she should be released in interim anticipatory bail for one week on the execution of Rs 50,000 with two solvent sureties for the like sum to the satisfaction of the arresting officer.

( With inputs from ANI )