AHMEDABAD: A municipal court here on Saturday sent activists Teesta Setalvad and former Gujarat DGP RB Sreekumar were placed in judicial custody 14 days after their detention interrogation ended and the newly formed special investigation team (SIT) did not seek further investigation.
While arriving at Sabarmati Central Prison, Setalvad raised the issue of her security in prison and her advocate was Somnath Vats filed in court, saying that many people have been convicted for their roles in post-Godhra riots because of the efforts of the NGO Setalvad. Some of them are also convicted women, Vats said, urging the court to give her direction in prison.
To this, prosecutor Mitesh Amin countered and argued that she was not an unusual criminal or prisoner that she would require security in the prison. If that request is heeded, any prisoner will go to the courthouse to seek prison safety. After hearing this, add the urban judge’s MV Chauhan ordered the proper arrangements for her security according to the prison manual.
Setalvad and Sreekumar have been in police custody by court order since June 26 after they were arrested a day earlier on charges of fabricating evidence of conspiracy for the 2002 Gujarat riots.
After presenting in the courtroom, Judge Chauhan asked both defendants if they had any complaints about their detained interrogation time. In this regard, Setalvad said she had to make a statement a few times but because of this she was detained for six days. “There were always five or six policemen watching me as if I was a very dangerous person,” she said.
Sreekumar asked the court to direct investigators to record his testimony, at least as required by Section 164 of the CrPC (recorded testimony by a judge). The judge denied the request and said that there is no provision under the law by which a defendant can require a recording of his testimony.
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