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2002 riots case: Gujarat court denies bail to activist Teesta Setalvad, former DGP R B Sreekumar | India News
AHMEDABAD: A city court here on Saturday denied the activist’s bail application Teesta Setalvad and the former DGP RB Sreekumar in connection with the alleged fabrication of evidence of conspiracy for the 2002 riots and attempts to implicate innocent people including the then minister Narendra Modi.
Refusing to guarantee Setalvad and Sreekumar, additional session judge DD Thakkar said, “…if applicant-defendant is granted bail it means encouraging wrongdoers despite making such kind of accusation against CM and others later, the Court slightly increased the defendant’s release on bail. So looking at the above facts and circumstances, even though the applicant is a woman and another retired IPS officers and the elderly, they do not need to be bailed”.
Setalvad and Sreekumar were arrested on June 25, shortly after FIR registration by the city crime branch. This happened one day after Supreme Court denied an appeal by Zakia Jafri seeking action against Modi and others accusing them of harboring a larger conspiracy behind the post-Godhra riots. SC observes that some have tried to keep the pot boiling by soliciting lawsuits and that they should be brought to the docks.
After registering for the FIR, the state government established a special investigative team (SIT), which filed affidavits to oppose Setalvad and Sreekumar’s bail applications. SIT stated that Setalvad and Sreekumar along with another former IPS employee Sanjiv Bhatt conspired to fabricate evidence to unjustify innocent people. It cites two witnesses to claim that Setalvad accepted a fund of Rs 30 lakh from then-Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha, Ahmed Patel. It also suggested that Setalvad had political ambitions, while the two policemen were disgruntled. Setalvad and Sreekumar denied all allegations.
Refusing to guarantee Setalvad and Sreekumar, additional session judge DD Thakkar said, “…if applicant-defendant is granted bail it means encouraging wrongdoers despite making such kind of accusation against CM and others later, the Court slightly increased the defendant’s release on bail. So looking at the above facts and circumstances, even though the applicant is a woman and another retired IPS officers and the elderly, they do not need to be bailed”.
Setalvad and Sreekumar were arrested on June 25, shortly after FIR registration by the city crime branch. This happened one day after Supreme Court denied an appeal by Zakia Jafri seeking action against Modi and others accusing them of harboring a larger conspiracy behind the post-Godhra riots. SC observes that some have tried to keep the pot boiling by soliciting lawsuits and that they should be brought to the docks.
After registering for the FIR, the state government established a special investigative team (SIT), which filed affidavits to oppose Setalvad and Sreekumar’s bail applications. SIT stated that Setalvad and Sreekumar along with another former IPS employee Sanjiv Bhatt conspired to fabricate evidence to unjustify innocent people. It cites two witnesses to claim that Setalvad accepted a fund of Rs 30 lakh from then-Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha, Ahmed Patel. It also suggested that Setalvad had political ambitions, while the two policemen were disgruntled. Setalvad and Sreekumar denied all allegations.
