Aisha Sultana Deleted Mobile Chats: Lakshadweep Admin Informs Kerala HC

Filmmaker Aisha Sultana Sedition Case: The Lakshadweep administration informed the Kerala High Court on Tuesday that Aisha Sultana, the filmmaker-activist accused in a sedition case, erased her mobile chats after the registration of the case. They further informed the court that she is not cooperating with the probe of the case filed by Kavaratti police.

Previously, Sultan approached the Kerala HC seeking to quash the sedition case registered against her, however, the administration stated that she has failed to cooperate properly with the police. Reportedly, the accused has deleted several chats and messages in a suspicious manner.

The filmmaker was accused of delivering hate speech during a panel discussion on a Malayalam news channel. While speaking of the controversial reforms in Lakshadweep, Aisha Sultana had allegedly said that the Centre was using Administrator of the Union Territory Lakshadweep, Praful Patel, as a “bio-weapon” on the group of islands.

On a close watch of the television discussion, she was found reading from her mobile phone prior to making the seditious remarks.

The Lakshadweep administration said that the information about her financial transactions are also not transparent and many aspects require investigation. Sultana has now been accused of not “properly cooperating with the investigation” and refusing to “provide documents demanded” by the administration.

“On the other hand, she raised several baseless allegations against police after filing the petition in the High Court and indulged in a malicious campaign against the police through media. Apparently, her aim is to dissuade the police from conducting a proper investigation by unleashing false propaganda,” submitted the administration.

Meanwhile, the statement filed also alleged that the Media One channel, which aired the debate, wasn’t cooperating as well and information sought by the police through statutory notices has not been furnished by the television channel. The administration further mentioned that the case which is at the preliminary stage shall be quashed “only in exceptional circumstances”.

More about filmmaker Aisha Sultana case

After the debate went on air, a sedition case was registered against filmmaker Aisha Sultana by the Lakshadweep BJP head Abdul Khader. The complaint was filed on June 10, under IPC Sections 124 (A) for sedition, and 153 (B) for hate speech.

Later on June 17, Sultana was granted anticipatory bail by the Kerala High Court for a duration of one week.

Aisha Sultana is an actor, model, and director, who has previously worked with Malayalam filmmaker Lal Jose. She was an associate director on the Malayalam film Kettyolaanu Ente Malaakh, starring Uyare actor Asif Ali.