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Guj riots activist Teesta faces arrest
New
DelhiMumbai:
TIMES NEWS
NETWORK
Bail Plea Nixed, SC To Hear
Case Today
Known Narendra Modi-baiter and social activist Teesta Setalvad and her
husband Javed Anand moved Supreme Court on
Thursday and gained a day's reprieve from arrest by Gujarat police in a
case of alleged misappropriation of funds worth Rs 1.5 crore meant for
rehabilitation of postGodhra riot victims.
The relief came hours after Gujarat high court rejected the couple's
anticipatory bail plea, prompting them to rush to the SC. Senior
advocate Kapil Sibal made a dramatic mention of the couple's
anticipatory bail plea before a bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu
and sought an urgent hearing. The bench immediately
restrained Gujarat cops from arresting them till Friday, when their
appeal against the HC decision is heard. Sibal said it was an
extraordinary situation and the Supreme Court needed to intervene
urgently as
the “mighty“ state police were hell-bent on arresting Setalvad.The
bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri and Arun Mishra, agreed to
hear the case on Friday.
After the HC rejected the anticipatory bail plea, Gujarat police sprang
into action to arrest the couple and reached their Mumbai home, but did
not find them there.
Setalvad and Anand submitted that the FIR
was registered to harass them as there was no merit in the charges
against them.
Gujarat riots activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand, who
face arrest on charges of fraud, moved Supreme Court on Thursday saying,
“The FIR is based on a false and mala fide complaint and solely for the
purpose of harassing us.“
Setalvad and her NGO, Citizens for
Justice and
Peace, were instrumental in bringing the Gujarat riot cases to the SC.
While rejecting her anticipatory bail plea, the HC had strongly
criticized Setalvad for allegedly spending funds collected to help 2002
riot victims for her personal indulgence. The HC had also questioned the
functioning of Setalvad and her NGOs. The HC, however, granted
anticipatory bail to three riot victims--former residents of Gulbarg
Society and co-accused in the embezzl
ement case--Jafri's son Tanvir, society's chairman Salim Sandhi and
secretary Firoz Gulzar. They were granted bail on the condition that
they would furnish a bond of Rs 10,000 and cooperate with the
investigation.
The HC had said, “The facts of this case are
shocking. How can one seek materialistic pleasure and happiness at the
expense of needy persons? How can one even use five paise which is meant
for the poor and the needy? The facts of this case reflect the sorry
state of affairs of NGOs.The donations are made with lot of trust and
hope that ultimately the money will reach the poor and the needy .
However, here is a case where in the name of the poor, needy and
unfortunate riot-affected victims, lakhs of rupees was received and
embezzled.“
The court said even if the arguments by Setalvad
that Gujarat police had been targeting them since the beginning were to
be believed, this was a fit case of custodial interrogation in public
interest. In January 2014, on a complaint filed by former residents of
Gulbarg Society , Feroze Khan Pathan, Setalvad and others were
booked for allegedly usurping Rs 1.51 crore collected for a riot museum.
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[Sign Petition] Citizens in Solidarity with Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand
http://www.indiaresists.com/sign-petition-citizens-in-solidarity-with-teesta-setalvad-and-javed-anand/
We are shocked to learn of the rejection of the Anticipatory bail applications
of Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand by the Gujarat High Court. Media stories
suggest that the bail applications have been turned down because Setalavad and
Anand were “not cooperating with the investigations” and that prima facie
“funds were used for private purpose”. It is a matter of record that they have
submitted their original bank statements, balance sheets and audited accounts
that completely disprove the allegations. Does this amount to non-cooperation
or prima facie evidence of wrong-doing?We stand with Teesta Setalvad and Javed
Anand, and their quest for justice for the victims of 2002 violence, which has
turned them into a target of Gujarat government’s ire. We condemn this
witchhunt and the false and malicious propaganda being circulated against them.
