Deliberately Drawn Into Malicious Fabricated Cases: Teesta Setalvad

In a fresh affidavit filed before the Gujarat High Court, CJP secretary, Teesta Setalvad has filed a reply to the State of Gujarat’s affidavit seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail. In the reply Setalvad denies all false charges leveled against her and calls out the Gujarat state government for pursuing a witch hunt against her.

“This is not the first time that the respondent has been deliberately drawn into malicious and fabricated cases related to the 2002 communal carnage,” says Setalvad in the affidavit. “It is shocking that the applicant has chosen to approach this Hon’ble Court for the cancellation of anticipatory bail and still, vindictively, pursues even after a lapse of seven years, this spurious issue,” continues the affidavit.

The affidavit states how in February 2011, the Supreme Court itself had stayed the lower court’s order to quash the anticipatory bail application, and therefore provided Setalvad protection from arrest. The affidavit then states the chronological order in which CJP has come to be involved in Gujarat riot cases and how it and its members have been systematically persecuted for these efforts.

Finally, Setalvad states in her affidavit, “The learned Judge granting anticipatory bail was pleased to impose five conditions way back on 02.08.2011 and in ground (D) of the above application the applicant has nowhere mentioned which condition has been breached. The respondent herein has always shown her willingness to co-operate with the investigation.”

Further the affidavit points out, “The applicant has wrongly mentioned in ground-(d) that the respondent herein was summoned by the Investigation Officer and had not co-operated with the investigation. The impugned order is dated 02.08.2011 and as per the best of the knowledge of the respondent herein, there was no summons whatsoever from the police. Therefore, it cannot be said that the respondent had not co-operated with the investigation.” Making this point Setalvad requests that the application moved by the State of Gujarat to cancel her anticipatory bail be rejected in the interest of justice. The next hearing is scheduled for March 7.

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