http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-extends-bail-of-Teesta-Setalvad-husband-till-January-31/articleshow/49998406.cms

SC extends bail of Teesta Setalvad, husband till January 31

IANS | Dec 1, 2015, 05.32 PM IST

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended, till January 31,
bail of social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand in
the case of alleged misuse of funds collected by their NGO Sabrang
Trust for a museum at a spot witnessing one of the worst massacres in
the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Extending the bail, a bench of Justice Anil R. Dave, Justice Fakkir
Mohammed Ibrahim Kalifulla and Justice V. Gopala Gowda issued notice
to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Setalvad's plea
challenging that part of the Bombay High Court verdict holding there
was some misuse of funds received by the trust from Ford Foundation
and thus were in breach of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

The high court in its August 11, 2015 order had said that "prima
facie, after hearing the submissions and after going through the
documents placed before it, it appears that there is some misuse of
amount they received from the Foundation for which the applicants
accused are undoubtedly answerable."

"As per the case of prosecution, at this initial stage, it is accepted
that the money received is a contribution and therefore the acceptance
and utilization of the said amount requires regulation under the Act
and therefore there is violation of the provisions of the Act."

Citing this part of the verdict, senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing
for the couple, contended that there was no basis for the high court
to say so and the same was to be determined by the trial court after
examining the case on merits.

In their petition, Setalvad and Anand said it "pertains to the limited
extent of observations made by the high court, which are questions of
merits, to be determined at the stage of the trial after examining the
relevant documents and evidence with regard to the same".

Having issued notice to CBI, the apex court said that it would hold
hearing on the petitions both by Setalvad and CBI on January 21.

On October 14, the court had issued notice to Setalvad and Anand on
CBI's plea challenging the high court's August 11 order granting the
duo anticipatory bail holding that their activities posed no threat to
the integrity of the country.

The high court held that the documents being sought by the CBI relates
to accounts and therefore do not require custodial interrogation and
both were unlikely to flee the country.

CBI has alleged that the Sabrang Communications and Publishing Pvt run
by Setalvad received foreign grants from Ford Foundation which were
prohibited under then Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).

Setalvad and Anand were granted bail by the apex court on February 19
as it restrained the Gujarat Police from arresting them, after they
moved it against the Gujarat High Court's February 12 order declining
them anticipatory bail in the alleged misuse of funds case.


-- 
Peace Is Doable

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
"Green Youth Movement" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email 
to [email protected].
To post to this group, send an email to [email protected].
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

Reply via email to