'Aisha Sultana Violated COVID Protocol, She has No Respect For Law And Legal Obligations': Lakshadweep Administration Submits Before Kerala High Court

The administration contends that the accused appeared before the Investigating Officer at Kavaratti Island on 19^th June 2021. As per the Covid protocol issued by Disaster Management Authority, she was advised to undergo mandatory home quarantine except for the interrogation.

Although the accused had agreed to abide by the said protocol, it is reported that on the very next day of arrival, she travelled with some others in a vehicle to the Police Station for interrogation. Moreover, the application alleges that she mingled with people and the media after the interrogation.

It was also mentioned that the accused visited the Panchayat office and engaged in discussions with other individuals before returning to her accommodation. Furthermore, she is alleged to have visited Covid positive patients at an isolation centre on 21^st June.

The aforementioned conduct of the accused is in complete violation of the Covid protocol in Lakshadweep, and has acted in a manner likely to cause further spread of the virus as per the application.

It also contends that this conduct was inconsistent compared to her allegation that relaxation of quarantine norms in December 2020 was a move by the Centre to utilise the virus as a bio weapon. Through her unscrupulous and illegal conduct, Aisha Sultana was also accused of putting the lives of the interrogating police officials in risk.

The primary contention in the application is that the behaviour of the accused proved that her protest against the Covid SOP to justify her seditious assertion was merely a pretention. Her conduct was cited to establish that the she had no regard for the restrictions imposed to contain the pandemic.

`The violations of quarantine norms after giving assurance to the nodal officer shows that she has no respect for law and legal obligations`, the petition read.

At the outset, it was submitted in the application that the accused had virtually abused the protection granted to her through the interim order of the Court.

Accordingly, the Chairman of Disaster Management Authority, Lakshadweep issued a notice dated 22^nd June to the filmmaker. This document has been attached with the application and Standing Counsel S Manu on behalf of the Administration has prayed that this document be accepted on record.

The application asserted that this caution notice was relevant to decide the bail application filed by the accused.

Aisha Sultana had earlier filed a bail application seeking anticipatory bail apprehending arrest for the charge of sedition over her remarks on a media channel. She had allegedly accused the Central government of using Covid-19 as a bio weapon against the people of Lakshadweep which initiated proceedings under Section 124A against her.