New Delhi: The Kerala high court on Friday refused to stay further proceedings in the sedition case registered against Lakshadweep filmmaker Aisha Sultana.
Considering a plea filed by Sultana seeking to quash the FIR registered against her by the Kavaratti police, the high court said investigation in the case was in a preliminary stage and more time may be required for completing the probe.
Refusing to stay further proceedings in the case, the court directed the Lakshadweep administration to provide details of the investigation.
When the matter was taken up, the counsel for the administration opposed the plea, submitting that the investigation in the case was in a preliminary stage.
Justice Ashok Menon observed that the investigation was “at its infancy” and the prosecution would have to be given more time to collect necessary material. “It is too early to throw away” the prosecution case, The Hindu quoted the bench as saying.
A case was registered on June 9 under Section 124-A (sedition) and 153 B (hate speech) of IPC on the basis of a petition lodged by a political leader hailing from Kavaratti.
Last week, the high court had granted Sultana anticipatory bail in the sedition case.
Granting bail, Justice Ashok Menon had said there was no apparent indication in her statement, which amounts to imputations or assertions prejudicial to the national interest, nor does it propagate any class of persons against another group of persons.
Sultana was interrogated by the Kavaratti police thrice last week in connection with the case.
(With PTI inputs)