After Supreme Court ruling on 2002 riots, Activist Teesta Setalvad detained by Gujarat ATS [25.6.2022]

June 25, 2022, Saturday

A team of Gujarat ATS has taken custody of activist Teesta Setalvad. The apex court had called for further investigation on Setalvad. On Friday, the Supreme Court had said that on whose behest did Setalvad run the campaign against Modi for 16 years?

A team of Gujarat ATS has detained activist Teesta Setalvad in Mumbai and took her to Santacruz police station. A cop team had reached her Mumbai residence earlier on Saturday in connection to a case on her NGO. The move by Gujarat Police came after the Supreme Court had called for further investigation on Setalvad and asked on whose behest did Setalvad run the campaign against Modi for 16 years. 

After the observation of the Supreme Court, a case has been registered against Teesta Setalvad, Sanjeev Bhat and R B Sri Kumar in Ahmedabad Crime Branch under Sections 468,  471, 194, 211, 218, 120B. Teesta Setalvad, Sanjeev Bhat and R B Sri Kumar have been accused of misusing the legal process on the basis of Zakia Jafri's petition and presenting false documents in different commissions.  

On Friday, the Supreme Court had dismissed a petition challenging the clean chit given by the SIT to then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and others in the 2002 post-Godhra riots cases. Setalvad's NGO had supported Zakia Jafri throughout her legal battle. Jafri's husband Ehsan Jafri was killed during the riots.

While talking to news agency ANI on Friday, Amit Shas said Teesta Setalvad-run NGO gave baseless information about the Gujarat riots. Shah's comments came after the Supreme Court on Friday rejected an appeal against the exoneration of then-state Chief Minister Narendra Modi in a 2002 riots case.

The Gujarat government told the Supreme Court earlier that in the name of Zakia Jafri, social activist Teesta Setalvad wants to keep the “pot boiling” on the 2002 riots, which would be a “travesty of justice” and the apex court should not encourage such petitions. 

The Supreme Court, however, dismissed Zakia Jafri’s plea on Friday, challenging SIT's clean chit to 64 people, including then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi. The Apex Court upheld the Gujarat High Court order, saying Zakia Jafri's appeal is devoid of merits & deserves to be dismissed. 


26 Jun 2022